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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

Microsoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/christusredemptoOOmontiala 


CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


UNITED    STUDY   OF   MISSIONS 


VIA   CHRISTI.     An  Introduction  to  the  Study 
of  Missions. 

Louise  Manning  Hodgkins. 

LUX   CHRISTI.     An  Outline  Study   of  India. 
Caroline  Atwater  Mason. 

REX   CHRISTUS.    An  Outline  Study  of  China. 
Arthur  H.  Smith. 

DUX  CHRISTUS.  An  Outline  Study  of  Japan. 
William  Elliot  Griffis. 

CHRISTUS  LIBERATOR.     An  Outline  Study 
of  Africa. 
Ellen  C.  Parsons. 

CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR.   An  Outline  Study 
of  the  Island  World  of  the  Pacific. 
Helen  Barrett  Montgomery. 


OTHER    VOLUMES  IN  PREPARATION. 


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MAP    OF    THE 


ISLAN  D    WORLD 


for  I 


!    With 


CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

An  Out  lice  Study  of 

MISSIONS  IN  THE 

ISLANDS  OF  THE   PACIFIC 

Published  by  the 

CENTRAL  COMMITTEE 

ON  THE  UNITED  STUDY  OF  MI8810N8. 


V 


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(French) 


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CHEISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


AN  OUTLINE  STUDY  OF  THE  ISLAND 
WORLD  OF  THE  PACIFIC 


BY 

HELEN  BARRETT  MONTGOMERY 


"And  the  isles  shall  wait  for  his  law." 
—  Isa.  42.  4. 


Wefo  fgotfe 
THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

LONDON:  MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Ltd. 
1907 

All  rights  reserved 


COPTBIGHT,   1906, 

Bt  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  June,  1906.     Reprinted 
January,  March,  1907. 

PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  CENTRAL  COMMITTEE 
ON  THE  UNITED  STUDY  OF  MISSIONS. 


Uottoooto  $ress 

J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 

Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 


STACK 
ANNEX 


So  many  inquiries  have  come  from  societies 
and  individual  students  in  regard  to  the  best 
reference  books  to  buy  in  taking  up  the  present 
text-book  that  the  author  gladly  avails  herself 
of  the  opportunity  to  answer  all  such  inquiries 
in  this  brief  foreword. 

If  but  one  reference  book  can  be  bought,  by 
all  means  get  Alexander's  "Islands  of  the  Pa- 
cific." This  covers  in  great  part  the  same  field 
as  "Christus  Redemptor  "  and  gives  it  very 
much  more  fully.  The  author  acknowledges 
her  special  indebtedness  to  Mr.  Alexander,  the 
matter  of  whose  book1  has  been  freely  used  in 
the  preparation  of  this  volume.  Martha  B. 
Banks'  "Heroes  of  the  South  Seas"  is  a  less 
exhaustive  and  briefer  treatise,  covering  a  good 
portion  of  the  field,  and  will  admirably  supple- 
ment Alexander. 

If  a  number  of  books  are  to  be  purchased, 
the  best  small  collection  is  the  library  of  eight 
standard  books  published  by  the  United  Study 
Committee.  This  includes  two  general  refer- 
ence books,  Alexander  and  Banks;  a  book  on 
Hawaii,  Brain;  one  on  the  Philippines,  Brown; 
and  four  biographies,  Calvert,  Paton,  Patteson, 
and  Chalmers. 

1  Copyright,  1895,  by  American  Tract  Society, 
v 


FOREWORD 

The  Committee  on  the  United  Study  of  Missions  take 
pleasure  in  presenting  the  sixth  book  of  the  series,  "  Christus 
Redemptor  :  An  Outline  Study  of  the  Islands  of  the  Pacific," 
by  Helen  Barrett  Montgomery. 

More  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  the  text-books  have 
found  their  way  into  study  classes  and  missionary  societies, 
and  their  influence  for  good  can  hardly  be  overestimated. 
In  this  last  volume  the  picturesque  setting  and  the  marvel- 
lous stories  of  the  transformations  of  many  of  the  Islands 
through  the  efforts  of  heroic  men  and  women  must  lead  to 
greater  enthusiasm  and  zeal  and  to  an  intensified  faith  in 
the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  Cross. 

Mrs.  NORMAN  MATHER  WATERBURY,  Chairman, 

705  Ford  Building,  Boston,  Mass. 
Miss  E.  HARRIET  STANWOOD, 

704  Congregational  House,  Boston,  Mass. 

Miss  ELLEN  C.   PARSONS, 

Presbyterian  Building, 
156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City. 

Mrs.  J.  T.  GRACEY, 

i77  Pearl  Street,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  DECATUR  SAWYER, 

Montclair,  N.J.,  or  Church  Missions  /House, 
hth  Avenue  and  22d  Street,  New  York  City. 

Miss  CLEMENTINA  BUTLER, 

Secretary  and  Treasurer, 

Newton  Centre,  Mass. 


CONTENTS 

AN  INTRODUCTION 

PAGE 

The  Island  World  and  its  Peoples         .        .  1 

Botanical  Notes   compiled   from   W.   Wyatt 

Gill's  Jottings  of  the  Pacific  ...  14 

Table  I.  Articles  introduced  by  Missiona- 
ries       24 

Table  II.    Numerals  in  Polynesian  Dialects  24 

CHAPTER  I 

Early  Missions  in  the  Society,  Hervey,  As- 
tral, and  Pearl  Islands      ....      25 

TarajEre's  Story 40 

Quotations  from  Native   Sermons,  Prayers, 

and  Sayings 42 

Suggestions,  Topics,  and  Questions  ...      56 

CHAPTER  II 

Samoa,  Tonga,  Micronesia,  and  Pitcairn  Isl- 
and     57 

Quotations  from  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  on 

Samoa 67 

Guam 82 

Topics,  Questions,  and  Suggestions  ...      90 

CHAPTER  III 

The  Hawaiian  Islands 91 

Topics  for  Writings  and  Discussion        .        .    137 
vii 


Vlll  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IV 

PAOB 

Fiji,  The  New  Hebrides,  and  Melanesia        .  138 

Incidents  and  Quotations  regarding  Fiji     .  152 

Questions  and  Topics 176 

CHAPTER  V 

New  Zealand,  New  Guinea,  and  Malaysia    .  177 

Questions  and  Topics 214 

CHAPTER  VI 

The  Philippines 215 

Questions  and  Topics 268 

Statistics 269 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 270 

INDEX 277 


CHRISTUS   REDEMPTOR 


INTRODUCTION 

The  Field.  —  If  we  are  to  study  the  entrance 
of  the  Gospel  into  the  Island  world  of  the 
Pacific,  it  behooves  us  to  gain  as  clear  a  con- 
cept as  may  be  of  the  field. 

Its  Importance.  —  The  centre  of  interest  in 
the  world's  history  is  constantly  changing.  A 
hundred  years  ago  the  Pacific  was  aside  from 
the  main  currents  of  the  world's  life.  Lines  of 
communication  were  few,  interests  were  remote. 
To-day  the  development  of  the  commerce  of 
the  Pacific  is  one  of  the  subjects  that  engross 
attention,  and  the  winning  of  that  commerce  one 
of  the  world-prizes  to  be  struggled  for.  To  the 
west  of  us  lie  the  undeveloped  resources  and  un- 
awakened  forces  of  the  future.  These  facts  of 
commerce  give  new  significance  to  the  islands 
that  dot  the  Pacific  like  stepping  stones  in  a 
brook. 

Its  Vastness.  —  It  is  hard  to  realize  the  di- 
mensions of  that  Island  world  we  call  Oceania. 
Most  of  our  maps  are  printed  on  so  small  a  scale 
that  the  islands  look  quite  neighborly  —  an  im- 
pression which  a  salt  dash  of  statistics  soon 
corrects.  From  east  to  west,  Oceania  stretches 
120°,  one-third  the  earth's  circumference,  and 

B  1 


2  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

from  north  to  south  80°.  This  covers  an  area 
of  27,000,000  square  miles,  about  one  and  one- 
half  times  the  size  of  the  continent  of  Asia.  On 
this  surface  is  scattered  a  land  area  of  168,000 
square  miles.  If  New  Zealand  be  excluded,  the 
area  of  all  the  Oceanic  islands  is  only  fifty-eight 
thousand  square  miles.  To  illustrate  the  isola- 
tion of  the  separate  members  of  the  great  fleet 
of  islands,  take  the  Carolines.  They  are  forty- 
nine  in  number,  in  area  all  told  600  square  miles 
(the  size  of  an  English  county),  scattered  over  a 
sea-surface  the  size  of  the  Mediterranean.  So 
wide  is  the  sea  and  so  small  the  island  world 
that  the  Spanish  navigators  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury cruised  for  fifty  years  among  these  islands 
without  ever  sighting  any  save  a  very  few. 

Divisions.  —  The  island  world  may  be  most 
correctly  divided  into  four  divisions  —  Malaysia, 
Melanesia,  Micronesia,  and  Polynesia.  Of  these 
Malaysia  contains  most  land  and  Micronesia 
least.  The  names  signify,  —  The  Malay  Islands, 
The  Black  Islands,  The  Little  Islands,  and  the 
Many  Islands.  These  groups  of  islands  may 
again  be  classified  into  two  grand  divisions, 
the  Continental  and  the  Oceanic.  Continental 
Islands  are  those  which  lie  near  and  parallel  to 
the  Continents  of  Asia  and  Australia,  from  the 
Aleutian  Islands  on  the  north  to  Sumatra  and 
New  Zealand  on  the  south.  The  Oceanic 
Islands  include  all  the  rest. 

Formation.  —  The  Oceanic  Islands  are  of  two 
kinds,  the  Coral  and  the  Volcanic.  The  Coral 
Islands  have  been  built  up  by  the  slow  work  of 


INTRODUCTION  3 

the  Coral  polyp,  and  the  Volcanic  Islands  are 
the  result  of  upheaval  during  volcanic  eruption. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  coral  islands;  the  atolls 
and  the  elevated  islands.  Sometimes  the  atolls 
are  elevated  only  a  few  feet  above  the  high  water 
mark.  They  are  really  narrow  sand  banks  en- 
closing a  lagoon  of  smooth  water.  The  vegeta- 
tion is  scanty  —  not  more  than  fifty  species  in 
the  flora;  droughts  are  frequent,  giving  the 
islands  of  this  type  the  name  "deserts  of  the 
Pacific."  The  elevated  coral  islands  are  few  in 
number  and  of  remarkable  beauty  and  fruitful- 
ness.  To  this  group  belong  the  Fiji,  New  Heb- 
rides, Solomon,  Loyalty,  Tonga,  and  Micronesian 
Islands.  Many  scientists  believe  that  the  belt  of 
Coral  Islands  which  extends  between  the  ranges 
of  volcanic  islands  —  Marquesas,  Hawaiian,  So- 
ciety, Samoan  —  is  due  to  a  gradual  subsidence 
of  the  floor  of  the  ocean.  One  proof  of  this  is 
the  fact  that  although  the  coral  polyp  cannot  live 
below  twenty-five  fathoms'  depth,  the  coral  for- 
mation of  some  of  these  islands  is  one  thousand 
fathoms.  The  theory  is  that  the  coral  polyp 
began  to  build  in  shoal  water  around  primeval 
islands,  and  as  these  gradually  sank  through 
long  ages  continued  building  upward,  thus  form- 
ing reefs  around  volcanic  islands.  Where  the 
volcanic  formation  entirely  disappeared,  through 
subsidence,  these  reefs  enclosed  lagoons.  Since 
the  polyp  can  only  live  in  pure  water,  it  thrives 
on  the  outsides  of  reefs  where  it  gets  its  food 
from  the  uncontaminated  ocean  water.  Thus 
it  comes  that  a  water  space  is  left  between  the 


4  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

island  and  the  reef,  and  that  the  lagoon  is  not 
filled  up  with  coral.  The  openings  in  the  reef 
are  opposite  the  large  valley,  where  streams  pour 
their  waters  into  the  sea,  and  where  the  fastidious 
little  polyp  will  not  build.  The  volcanic  islands 
owe  their  formation  to  volcanic  action ;  on  nearly 
all  of  them  are  extinct  craters  and  on  some  are 
still  active  volcanoes,  while  rumblings  of  earth- 
quake shocks  are  common. 

Climate.  —  The  beauty  of  this  island  world  is 
entrancing.  On  many  islands  craggy  mountains 
rise  from  the  blue  sea,  folded  in  robes  of  the 
richest  green.  The  fruits  and  flowers,  the 
stately  trees  and  luxuriant  vines,  the  glistening 
white  beach  and  tranquil  lagoon,  the  thunder- 
ing surf  and  encompassing  sea,  are  features  of 
the  picture  that  travellers  never  weary  of  re- 
peating. Here  the  extremes  of  temperature  are 
modified  into  a  mild  and  perpetual  summer. 

The  Inhabitants.  — The  people  of  the  islands 
are  divided  into  four  races:  Polynesians,  Papu- 
ans, Fijians,  and  Micronesians. 

The  Polynesians  cover  the  widest  extent  of 
territory  and  are  in  many  respects  the  finest 
race.  They  are  found  from  the  Samoans  on 
the  west  to  Paumotus  on  the  east,  and  from 
New  Zealand  on  the  south  to  Hawaii  on  the 
north.  In  color  they  vary  from  light  olive  to  a 
dark  velvety  brown.  Their  black  hair  is  straight, 
or  beautifully  wavy.  Their  eyes  are  large,  dark 
and  expressive,  with  finely  modelled  eyebrows. 
They  are  usually  tall,  straight-limbed,  with 
rounded  bodies  and  well-developed  chests   and 


INTRODUCTION  5 

shoulders.  They  speak  many  dialects  that 
point  to  a  common  origin.  The  most  striking 
characteristic  of  the  language  is  its  softness  and 
melodious  sound.  The  consonants  are  few  and 
those  are  liquid.  In  Hawaii,  where  the  most 
musical  form  of  the  language  was  developed,  it 
required  only  twelve  letters  to  spell  all  Hawaiian 
words.  The  language  of  Hawaii  at  the  north  is 
more  similar  to  that  of  New  Zealand  at  the  ex- 
treme south  than  to  that  of  any  intermediate 
Polynesian  islands.  These  two  dialects  are 
probably  less  changed  from  the  parent  stock 
through  mixture  with  other  races  than  are  any 
of  the  other  dialects. 

The  Papuans  are  found  in  Melanesia  chiefly 
in  the  Bismarck  archipelago,  Solomon  Islands, 
New  Hebrides,  Loyalty  Islands,  and  in  New 
Guinea.  These  are  the  blacks, — short,  stocky, 
with  frizzly  hair  and  broad  flat  noses.  They  are 
physically  and  mentally  less  developed  than  the 
Polynesians;  but  their  language  abounds  in 
consonants  and  closed  syllables,  giving  hints  of  a 
racial  strength  of  fibre  that  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  more  indolent  Polynesians. 

The  Fijians  are  a  mixture  of  the  Polynesian 
and  Papuan,  exhibiting  the  physical  character- 
istics of  both  stocks  in  varying  degrees. 

The  Micronesians  include  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Caroline,  Marshall,  Gilbert,  Pelew,  and 
Marianne  or  Ladrone  Islands.  They  also  are  a 
mixed  race;  a  Polynesian  basis  with  mixture  of 
Japanese  blood  and  traces  of  Papuan  inter- 
marriage.   They  are  darker  and  smaller  than 


6  CHRISTUS  RKDEMPTOR 

the  Polynesians,  with  a  decidedly  Japanese  cast 
of  features. 

Social  Conditions.  —  On  their  isolated  island 
homes  these  various  races  lived  for  centuries,  un- 
visited  and  unmolested  by  the  great  world  out- 
side. It  is  probable  that  the  islands  were 
peopled  by  successive  waves  of  migration  from 
the  southwest.  Scarcity  of  food  due  to  over- 
population, longing  for  adventure,  storm,  and 
shipwreck  were  among  the  causes  that  drove 
the  primitive  boats  far  across  the  wide  waters. 
No  savage  races  have  ever  been  better  navi- 
gators or  more  fearless  seamen  than  these  island 
men  of  the  Pacific.  On  all  sides  of  them,  source 
of  food  and  yet  their  constant  menace,  lay  the 
sea.  In  these  isolated  island  homes  there  no 
doubt  came  degeneration,  both  physical  and 
moral,  to  the  original  stock.  There  are  evidences 
both  in  language  and  in  archaic  ruins  that  the 
natives  formerly  enjoyed  a  much  higher  state  of 
social  organization  than  that  of  which  they  were 
capable  when  the  Europeans  first  found  them. 
At  Pitcairn  Island,  long  deserted  by  native  in- 
habitants, the  stone  foundations  of  large  temples 
were  found.  In  the  Christmas  Islands,  buried 
under  guano  beds  were  the  remains  of  skilfully 
constructed  roads.  At  Ponape  and  Nanmatal, 
too,  were  extensive  ruins,  and  great  images 
carved  in  stone  on  Easter  Island.1 

The  social  life  of  the  islands  was  not  wanting 

1  Illustration  of  primitive  Melanesian  and  Micronesian 
carving  may  be  found  in  Helmolt's  "  History  of  the 
World,"  Vol.  II. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

in  any  of  the  features  of  savage  existence.  On 
the  one  side  there  were  the  free  life  in  the  forest, 
the  picturesque  war  canoes,  the  gaudy  decora- 
tions of  feathers  and  ornaments,  the  flower 
wreaths,  the  feasting;  on  the  other,  the  hideous 
cruelty,  the  debasement  of  women,  the  cease- 
less wars,  the  frightful  cannibalism.  The  gifts  of 
Nature  were  so  lavish  on  most  of  the  islands  that 
no  arduous  toil  was  needed  to  get  food;  in  the 
mild  climate,  little  clothing  was  needed.  Idle- 
ness and  isolation  wrought  their  inevitable  de- 
generation. 

The  women  of  many  tribes  developed  no  little 
skill  in  manufacturing  bark  cloth,  mats,  fishing 
tackle,  and  a  fine  sheer  cloth  which  they  wove 
from  the  inner  bark  of  trees.  Rude  needlework, 
too,  they  had,  and  carvings. 

In  their  great  war  canoes  the  people  took 
pride:  hollowing  them  out  of  trunks  of  trees 
and  carving  their  sterns  with  hideous  figures  of 
the  gods,  daubed  in  brilliant  colors. 

Their  houses  were  slight  affairs,  thatched 
roofs,  supported  by  posts,  or  sometimes  perched 
high  in  trees,  yet  for  their  kings  they  would  now 
and  then  build  great  structures  more  than  three 
hundred  feet  in  length. 

Their  religion  was  a  compound  of  superstition 
and  fear.  Innumerable  demons  they  placated. 
Each  man  had  his  own  private  god,  and  there 
were  besides  principal  gods  who,  under  slightly 
different  names,  were  worshipped  in  most  of  the 
islands.  Of  these  gods  and  demigods  they  told 
many  stories.    The  spirits  of  ancestors  also  were 


8  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

worshipped,  and  their  aid  sought  in  battle  and 
in  witchcraft.  Their  crowning  superstition  was 
the  tabu.  By  this  certain  articles  of  food,  cer- 
tain localities  or  occupations,  were  forbidden 
under  pain  of  death.  The  tabu  forbade  women 
to  eat  with  men,  or  to  eat  pork,  fowls,  bananas, 
or  fish,  —  in  fact,  most  of  the  choice  articles  of 
food. 

War  was  almost  incessant ;  keeping  their  lives 
embittered  with  fear.  John  Williams  tells  how 
he  found  the  population  of  Hervey  Island  had 
been  diminished  by  war  from  two  thousand  to 
sixty.  Seven  years  later  he  visited  the  island 
and  found  only  five  men  and  three  women 
surviving  and  these  were  still  fighting  over  who 
should  be  king. 

First  Contact  with  Civilization.  —  When  the 
islanders  were  first  discovered  by  Europeans 
they  were,  as  we  have  seen,  rude,  uncivilized, 
bewildered  by  superstition,  decimated  by  wars, 
and  brutalized  by  cruel  customs,  but  after  all 
they  had  their  primitive  laws  and  customs. 
They  were  free  and  strong,  and  life  was  good  to 
them  in  their  beautiful  island  home.  The  first 
contact  with  the  whites  was  an  unmitigated 
curse,  as  the  contact  of  commercial  civilization, 
divorced  from  religion,  always  is  to  a  weaker 
race.  From  the  dark  corruption  of  great  cities 
poured  forth  adventurers  who  "  hung  up  their 
consciences  off  Cape  Horn  "  and  were  guilty  of 
the  greatest  excesses  and  cruelties  in  the  Pacific 
Islands. 

Explorers,  navigators,  and  traders  alike  ex- 


INTRODUCTION  9 

ploited  the  native,  and  gave  lessons  in  cruelty, 
which  were  later  repaid  with  interest. 

"In  1842  three  English  vessels  visited  the  island 
Vate  of  the  New  Hebrides  and  there  took  by  force  a 
large  quantity  of  fruit  and  vegetables  and  two  hundred 
hogs.  The  natives  resisted  and  a  fight  ensued  in 
which  twenty-six  natives  were  killed  and  many 
driven  to  take  refuge  in  a  cave.  The  crews  of  the 
ships  then  piled  wood  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave  and  set 
it  on  fire,  suffocating  all  within.  The  next  year  the 
entire  crew  of  the  Cape  Packet  was  murdered  at  this 
island." 

John  G.  Paton  records  in  his  Autobiography 
how,  as  late  as  1860,  three  traders  gleefully  told 
him  that  to  humble  the  natives  of  Tanna,  and  to 
diminish  their  number,  they  had  let  out  on  shore 
at  different  ports  four  men  ill  with  the  measles. 
"  Our  watchwords,"  they  said, "  are,  Sweep  the 
creatures  into  the  sea  and  let  white  men  occupy 
the  soil."  These  same  men  inveigled  a  chief  on 
board  by  the  promise  of  presents,  confined  him 
twenty-four  hours  in  the  hold,  without  food,  and 
with  natives  ill  with  the  measles,  and  sent  him 
out  without  a  present  to  spread  the  disease. 
Measles  is  an  exceedingly  virulent  disease  among 
these  races,  not  rendered  immune  to  severe 
attacks  by  long  familiarity  with  it,  as  are  Euro- 
pean races.  The  disease  thus  introduced  spread 
and  fearfully  decimated  the  population  of  the 
island.  Yet  we  wonder  why  these  races  are  so 
savagely  disposed  toward  the  white  men. 

As  agricultural  and  mining  enterprises  de- 
veloped in  South  America  and  Australia,  cheap 
labor  was  needed,  and  ships  went  out  to  secure 


10  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

laborers  from  the  Pacific  Islands.  Sometimes 
these  vessels  were  under  wise  and  humane 
management,  and  took  only  volunteer  laborers 
under  clearly  understood  contracts;  but  more 
often  they  were  in  reality  slavers  of  the  worst 
type.  They  kidnapped  the  natives,  hired  them 
into  bondage  from  which  the  few  who  lived  to 
return  came  back  embittered  with  hatred,  in- 
flamed against  everything  that  stood  for  civiliza- 
tion. One  of  the  soldier-saints  of  the  church, 
Bishop  Patteson,  lost  his  life  because  one  of 
these  ships  had  gone  cruising  among  these 
islands  flying  the  white  flag  that  the  mission 
boat  carried,  and  decoying  the  natives  by  an 
officer  dressed  like  the  bishop,  who  invited  them 
into  the  cabin  only  to  seize  and  kidnap  them. 

So  late  as  1892  the  steamer  Monserrat  cleared 
from  San  Francisco,  Capt.  W.  F.  Ferguson, 
manager.  She  was  suspected  of  foul  business, 
and  the  San  Francisco  Examiner  secretly  enlisted 
one  of  its  reporters,  Mr.  W.  H.  Brommage,  among 
the  crew.  What  he  saw  in  cold-blooded  cruelty 
and  disregard  of  human  rights  is  worthy  of  the 
darkest  days  of  the  African  slave  trade.  Chil- 
dren were  kidnapped  and  held  until  heart-broken 
parents,  rather  than  leave  them  to  be  carried 
away  forever,  embarked  to  go  with  them.  The 
chief  inducement  to  natives  to  embark  on  the 
steamer  was  the  hope  that  they  might  earn 
money  on  the  plantation  and  with  this  pay  the 
"  debts  M  which  unscrupulous  traders  had  sad- 
dled upon  their  kings,  and  for  which  they  held 
native  lands  in  pawn.    Many  of  the  poor  volun- 


INTRODUCTION  11 

teers  died  of  starvation  on  the  voyage  because 
these  same  "  traders  "  would  not  permit  them  to 
gather  their  own  cocoanuts  for  food  to  take  with 
them.  Sometimes  they  tried  to  escape  and  were 
fired  on  while  swimming  away. 

Captain  Ferguson  obtained,  by  such  gentle 
measures,  four  hundred  natives,  confined  them 
in  dark,  cramped  quarters,  gave  them  insufficient 
drinking  water,  and  took  them  to  Guatemala, 
where  the  planters  cheerfully  remarked  that 
seventy-five  per  cent  of  them  would  be  dead 
within  a  year. 

John  G.  Paton  says,  "  The  Kanaka  labor- 
traffic  has  destroyed  many  thousands  of  the 
natives  in  colonial  slavery  and  largely  depopu- 
lated the  islands,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  by 
spreading  disease  and  vice."  He  estimates  that 
70,000  Pacific  islanders  have  been  taken  from 
their  homes  by  these  slave-hunters.  It  is  but 
just  to  remark  that  the  men  most  hated  by  un- 
scrupulous traders  and  exploiters  of  Kanaka 
labor  are  the  missionaries,  who  are  on  the  ground, 
speak  the  language,  and  have  an  unpleasant 
fashion  of  influencing  the  natives  and  reporting 
to  the  home  government  occurrences  damaging 
to  their  business.  To  these  same  traders  may 
be  traced  many  of  the  tales  about  missionaries 
which  are  given  easy  currency  among  the  un- 
thinking. One  man  like  John  G.  Paton  is  worse 
for  their  business  than  a  whole  flock  of  men-of- 
war. 

Intoxicants.  —  In  addition  to  the  traffic  in 
contract-labor,  the  contact  with  the  white  races 


12  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

has  brought  the  demoralizing  commerce  in 
intoxicants  that  are  the  ruin  of  native  races. 
On  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  especially,  the  de- 
moralization and  physical  degeneration  induced 
by  the  intemperance  of  the  people  are  deplorable. 
All  traffic  in  intoxicants  with  nature-people  ought 
to  be  put  down  by  international  agreement  among 
the  great  commercial  nations. 

Political  Aggrandizement.  —  When  to  all  these 
we  add  the  disgraceful  story  of  the  aggressions 
of  the  various  governments,  conducted  without 
the  slightest  regard  for  the  welfare  of  the  occu- 
pants of  the  islands,  the  indictment  against  so- 
called  Christian  nations  becomes  heavy  indeed. 
Their  lands  stolen,  their  fisheries  depleted,  their 
freedom  taken  away,  their  men  sold  into  virtual 
slavery  as  contract  laborers  in  distant  lands, 
their  strength  enfeebled  by  the  importation  of 
foul  diseases,  the  islanders  of  the  Pacific  might 
well  question  the  blessing  brought  them  by 
contact  with  the  whites.  Many  people  in  their 
first  revulsion  of  feeling  on  learning  the  ugly 
facts  are  inclined  to  say,  "  Why  not  abandon 
missions  and  leave  these  island  people  alone, 
since  so  great  evils  follow  in  the  train  of  foreign 
intercourse?"  This  attitude  of  mind  entirely 
overlooks  the  fact  that  "  leaving  the  islands 
alone  "  is  no  longer  within  the  realm  of  the 
possible.  The  question  is  not  missions  or  no 
intercourse,  but  intercourse  without  missions,  or 
intercourse  with  missions  added.  To  withdraw 
the  missionaries  would  not  stop  a  single  trader, 
nor  a  gallon  of  rum,  nor  one  cruel  exploitation; 


INTRODUCTION  13 

it  would  simply  leave  to  run  riot  the  forces  of 
evil.  The  strongest  reason  why  the  conscience 
of  Europe  and  America  ought  to  continue  and 
immensely  to  strengthen  its  missionary  forces 
in  the  island  world  is  because  we  owe  it  to  these 
people  to  make  the  largest,  most  costly  and 
statesmanlike  reparation  for  the  ills  inflicted  on 
them  by  unworthy  representatives  of  our  race, 
and  by  our  still  unchristianized  governments. 
To  take  away  the  missionary  would  be  to  take 
away  the  one  man  who  is  in  the  islands,  not  for 
what  he  can  get  out  of  them,  but  for  what  he  can 
give  to  them ;  the  one  man  who  gives  the  natives 
books  in  their  own  tongue,  schools,  hospitals, 
churches;  who  nurses  their  sick,  teaches  their 
children,  resents  their  wrongs,  protects  them 
against  imposition  and  fraud,  teaches  them  new 
arts  of  practical  life,  —  in  short,  who  is  their 
brother. 

"  Once  a  green  oasis  blossomed  before  us  —  a  garden 
in  perfect  bloom  girded  about  with  creaming  waves ; 
within  its  coral  cincture  pendulous  boughs  trailed  in 
the  glassy  waters;  from  its  hidden  bowers  spiced  airs 
stole  down  upon  us;  above  all,  the  triumphant  palm- 
trees  clashed  their  melodious  branches  like  a  chorus 
with  cymbals."  — C.  W.  Stoddakd,  "South  Sea  Idyls." 


14  CHRISTUS  BJSDEMPTOR 

BOTANICAL   NOTES 

Compiled  From 

JOTTINGS   OF   THE   PACIFIC 

W.  Wyatt  Gill, 
Religious  Tract  Society, 
66  Paternoster  Row,  London, 

1885. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  circles  who  have  access  to 
few  books  of  reference,  the  following  brief  notes  have 
been  compiled  regarding  the  flora  and  fauna  of  the 
islands. 

Vines 

The  forests  of  many  of  the  South  Sea  Islands 
are  almost  impenetrable  on  account  of  the 
climbing  and  twining  vines.'  They  hang  in 
vast  festoons  from  the  trees,  and  these  long 
strings  form  the  ready-made  ropes  of  the 
islanders.  By  them  huge  logs  and  timber 
are  dragged  from  the  mountains  to  the  shore, 
and  while  green  these  long  stems  are  very 
strong,  but  become  brittle  and  useless  on  drying. 
Such  glorious  swings  and  skipping  ropes  as  the 
island  children  make  of  these  long,  ropelike 
stems ! 

The  Banyan  Tree 

The  banyan  is  common  on  the  volcanic 
islands,  and  from  the  fibre  of  its  bark  a  strong, 
coarse  cloth  is  made.  Full-grown  specimens  of 
the  banyan  are  among  the  noblest  trees  of  the 
Pacific  islands,  attaining  a  height  of  sixty  or 


INTR  OB  UCTION  1 5 

seventy  feet.  By  means  of  aerial  roots  sent 
down  from  its  branches  the  tree  propagates  it- 
self. These  roots,  in  turn,  become  trunks,  until 
sometimes  scores  of  these  trunks  are  found  sur- 
rounding the  parent  stem  in  a  grove  that  covers 
several  acres  with  its  shade. 

Breadfruit  Tree 

The  staple  diet  of  many  of  the  islands  is 
breadfruit  and  plantains.  The  breadfruit  har- 
vest marks  the  beginning  of  summer,  so  that  its 
name  is  the  synonym  of  plenty.  "Bread- 
fruit and  winter"  is  the  island  rendering  of  our 
"summer  and  winter."  It  has  a  most  attrac- 
tive sound  to  be  told  that  when  dinner-time 
comes  in  the  South  Seas,  a  boy  simply  climbs 
the  breadfruit  tree,  brings  down  a  basketful, 
and  in  three-quarters  of  an  hour  the  breadfruit 
is  piping  hot  from  the  oven.  The  tree  is  tall 
and  stately,  when  full  grown,  forty  or  fifty 
feet,  but  begins  to  have  fruit  when  only  three 
or  four  years  old.  The  trunk  is  rather  slender, 
and  the  sparse  foliage  is  made  up  of  broad, 
glossy,  dark  green,  composite  leaves,  nearly 
eighteen  inches  long.  These  leaves  are  pinnated 
and  elegantly  cut  into  fingers.  There  are 
several  varieties  of  breadfruit,  that  most  es- 
teemed having  fruit  larger  than  a  large  cocoa- 
nut.  The  rind  is  rough;  the  weight  varies 
from  one  to  four  pounds.  A  single  breadfruit 
when  steamed  and  eaten  hot  makes  a  palatable 
meal  for  one  person. 


16  *     CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

When  pierced,  a  newly  plucked  breadfruit 
exudes  a  milky  juice  and  the  fruit  begins 
rapidly  to  decay.  The  famous  pake,  or  bread- 
fruit pudding,  of  the  natives  is  made  by  scraping 
the  pulp  of  breadfruit,  which  has  begun  to 
ferment  after  the  removal  of  the  juice,  but  which 
is  not  yet  offensive,  into  a  clean  wooden  bowl. 
The  pulp  is  then  well  beaten  and  mixed  until 
it  forms  a  thick  batter,  pale  lemon  in  color. 
This  is  wrapped  in  banana  leaves  and  baked. 
When  turned  out  it  is  a  rich  brown  color  and 
is  considered  delicious  whether  eaten  hot  or 
cold. 

When  the  people  could  not  eat  all  the  bread- 
fruit in  season,  they  preserved  it  by  lining  with 
plantain  or  banana  leaves  deep  pits  dug  in  the 
ground.  Into  these  pits  was  poured  the  pulp 
from  hundreds  of  breadfruits;  the  top  was 
thickly  covered  with  leaves  and  well  weighted 
with  stones.  This  thick  paste  would  remain 
good  for  a  year,  a  portion  being  taken  out  and 
cooked  as  required.  The  leaves  surrounding 
the  paste  had  to  be  often  renewed.  This 
"  mai"  as  it  is  called  when  cooked,  is  about  the 
consistency  of  cheese  and  slightly  acid. 

Many  are  the  uses  of  this  friendly  tree.  Its 
bruised  bark  supplies  a  sort  of  caoutchouc;  its 
timber  is  light  and  durable  and  impervious  to 
the  attacks  of  white  ants.  From  the  inner 
bark  of  the  young  tree  was  made  a  light,  soft 
brown  cloth,  that  the  cheap  calicoes  and  cot- 
tons of  the  Europeans  have  driven  out  of  the 
market. 


INTRODUCTION  17 

The  Papau  Apple  Tree 

This  tree  was  introduced  into  the  Pacific 
Islands  by  early  voyagers  from  the  West  Indies. 
Like  the  cocoanut  palm,  the  papau  tree  bears 
all  the  year  round.  The  fruit  is  in  appearance 
more  like  an  onion  than  an  apple,  and  often 
weighs  four  pounds.  When  ripe  it  is  pleasant, 
but  rather  insipid.  The  juice  of  the  unripe  fruit 
is  acrid  and  is  used  to  render  tough  meat  tender. 
We  are  told  that  one  of  the  tough  old  hens  that 
in  this  country  would  require  boiling  for  hours 
to  make  palatable  is  simply  wrapped  in  a 
sliced  papau  apple  for  a  few  minutes  before 
putting  into  the  oven,  and  comes  out  tender  and 
juicy. 

Screw  Pine  or  Thatch  Tree 

Pandanus  Odoratissimus 

This  tree  is  found  everywhere  on  the  Pacific. 
With  the  cocoanut  palm  it  is  the  first  to  take 
root  on  the  low  atolls,  and  it  holds  to  the  poorest 
soil  with  a  tenacity  that  nothing  can  loosen. 
Stout  aerial  roots  shoot  down  from  the  branches 
to  prop  and  nourish  the  tree;  the  narrow 
leaves,  sometimes  several  feet  in  length,  are 
armed  along  the  edges  with  sharp  hooks.  The 
fruit  is  not  prized,  but  sometimes  during  drought, 
when  the  cocoanut  ceases  to  bear  fruit,  the 
natives  contrive  to  exist  on  the  drupes  of  the 
never  failing  screw  pine. 

The  name   "thatch  tree"   is  given   because 


18  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

from  the  long,  tough  leaves  is  made  the  best 
and  most  durable  thatch  in  the  world.  The 
perfume  of  the  flowers  is  very  powerful,  and  the 
inner  part  of  the  drupe  is  cut  off  and  threaded 
as  necklaces  on  account  of  its  lasting  perfume. 
The  natives  have  many  sayings  in  allusion 
to  the  excellence  of  the  thatch  made  from  the 
pandanus.  "Thou  art  no  better  protection 
than  a  roof  thatched  with  cocoanut-leaves." 
This  was  said  to  a  chief  who  had  sold  his  second- 
ary wife  for  the  sacrifice,  whereas  a  chief  who 
protects  all  under  his  shadow  is  called  "a  house 
thatched  with  pandanus  leaves."  They  say, 
"God  is  a  well-thatched  house  to  all  who  love 
Him." 

The  Mat  Tree 

Pandanus   Utilis 

The  mat  tree  is  own  cousin  to  the  thatch 
tree,  which  it  very  much  resembles.  Its  leaves, 
however,  have  no  hooks  on  the  edges ;  it  has  no 
flowers  nor  fruit,  but  is  propagated  solely  by 
shoots  from  the  roots  and  is  carefully  cultivated 
by  the  natives.  From  time  immemorial  from 
its  long,  pliant  leaves  have  been  plaited  the 
mats  that  are  used  for  carpets,  bedding,  cloth- 
ing, and  a  thousand  other  things. 

The  Pua  Tree 

The  pua  is  one  of  the  sacred  trees  of  the  Pa- 
cific. The  beautiful  white  blossoms  heavy  with 
fragrance  are  the  delight  of  the  island  folk, 
placed  in  the  dark  hair  or  woven  into  garlands 


INTRODUCTION  19 

for  festal  days.  The  petals  are  gathered  and 
strung  into  necklaces  that  retain  their  fra- 
grance even  when  withered  and  dry.  The  wood 
of  the  pua  is  almost  imperishable.  Many  myths 
cluster  about  the  tree. 

The  Candle  Nut  Tree 

One  of  the  most  graceful  trees  of  the  island 
world  is  the  candle  nut  tree.  The  leaves  are 
silvery,  blossoms  white,  in  many  clusters.  The 
kernels  of  the  nut  of  this  tree  formed  the  candle 
of  such  islanders  as  had  any  artificial  light. 
Twenty-five  or  thirty  of  these  nuts  strung  on 
a  midrib  of  a  cocoanut  leaflet  made  a  capital 
torch.  The  smoke  of  the  burning  torch  afforded 
a  fine  lampblack  used  in  tattooing. 

The  Chestnut  Tree 

In  the  Pacific  the  chestnut  is  not  deciduous  as 
with  us,  but  as  the  young  leaves  mature  the  old 
drop  unobserved,  so  that  the  foliage  is  renewed 
gradually.  With  the  palm,  the  chestnut  is 
lord  of  the  landscape,  often  attaining  a  height 
of  sixty  feet.  Its  stately  trunk  is  buttressed 
at  the  base  with  many  folded  wings  or  pro- 
jections running  out  several  feet  from  the 
main  trunk.  The  recesses  formed  between 
these  flying  bastions  are  favorite  playing  places 
for  the  children.  The  fruit  of  the  chestnut  is 
one  of  the  main  food  supplies  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  volcanic  islands.  It  comes  into  season 
just   before  the  breadfruit,  and  long  after  the 


20  CHRISTUS  REBEMPTOR 

breadfruit  has  disappeared  there  are  still 
ripe  nuts  on  the  trees.  The  nuts  are  stored  in 
pits  and  kept  from  one  season  to  the  next. 
They  are  grated,  mixed  with  the  pulp  of  the 
cocoanut,  and  baked  as  a  pudding.  The  gigan- 
tic chestnut  of  the  Pacific  attains  a  great  age. 
When  decayed,  it  renews  its  vigor  by  sending 
down  into  the  soil  roots  from  the  perfect  branches, 
thus  forming  a  new  trunk  inside  the  decayed  one. 
Chestnut  trees  are  still  bearing  fruit,  that  are 
known  to  be  more  than  four  hundred  years  old. 

The  Utu  Tree 

Under  the  dense  shade  of  a  far-spreading  and 
stately  utu  tree  the  elders  used  to  sit  in  council 
in  the  old  days,  and  certainly  no  council  tree 
could  be  finer.  The  dark,  glossy  green  leaves 
are  twenty-four  inches  by  ten,  like  mammoth 
magnolia  leaves  in  appearance.  In  September 
these  leaves  are  rich  yellow  splashed  with  red. 
In  January  the  new  glossy  green  leaves  are 
adorned  with  white  flowers  growing  in  clusters. 
From  the  four  expanded  petals  of  the  corolla 
rise  hundreds  of  delicate  stamens,  rosy  pink, 
surmounted  by  golden  anthers.  This  exquisite 
bloom  lasts  but  a  day,  and  each  morning  the 
ground  is  strewn  with  snow  white,  rose  pink,  and 
yellow. 

The  Lemon  Hibiscus  Tree 

One  of  the  most  useful  trees  of  the  South  Sea 
Islands  is  the  lemon  hibiscus.  On  the  volcanic 
islands  it  grows  luxuriantly,  attaining  a  height 
of  thirty  feet.    At  first  it  shoots  straight  up, 


INTRODUCTION  21 

but  when  mature  bends  to  the  earth  and  takes 
root,  thus  covering  the  soil  in  a  few  years  with 
an  impenetrable  jungle,  the  hiding  place  of  the 
conquered  in  the  old  bloody  days.  The  showy- 
yellow  flowers  cover  the  jungle  with  a  blaze  of 
color  in  blossom  time.  The  round,  flat  leaves 
are  just  the  size  of  a  dinner  plate,  and  were 
formerly  the  only  plates  used.  While  the  boys 
climbed  the  breadfruit  tree  for  the  family  dinner, 
the  girls  gathered  the  dishes  from  the  hibiscus  tree. 
While  the  sap-wood  of  this  wonderful  tree 
is  useless,  the  heart  is  of  a  very  dark  green 
color,  fragrant  as  rosewood.  So  light  that  it 
is  used  to  float  anchors,  it  is  so  tough  that  it 
is  used  for  the  stem,  stern,  and  keels  of  boats, 
and  for  paddles  for  canoes,  and  rafters  for 
houses.  It  also  furnishes  nearly  all  the  firewood 
on  the  islands.  The  inner  bark  furnishes  string 
and  rope,  and  the  dried  flowers  a  valuable 
medicine.  Not  satisfied  with  these  good  deeds, 
the  lemon  hibiscus  adds  still  another.  Nothing 
exhausts  the  soil  like  growing  yams  or  cotton; 
in  ten  years  the  soil  is  utterly  impoverished. 
Then  the  natives  allow  it  to  become  overrun 
with  lemon  hibiscus  bush,  and  when  the  timber 
is  heavy  —  an  amazingly  short  time  —  the  soil 
is  renewed.  The  soil  which  was  dry  and  hard 
is  now  light  and  rich.  One  variety  of  the  hibis- 
cus with  red  blossoms  grows  in  the  Hervey 
group.  This  is  called  the  shoe-black  tree;  for 
all  that  one  needs  when  shoes  need  blacken- 
ing is  to  rub  the  petals  of  the  hibiscus  on  them, 
and  presto,  they  are  black  and  shiny. 


22  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

The  Vi  Apple 

Is  one  of  the  only  three  trees  on  the  islands 
that  shed  their  leaves  in  winter.  The  other 
two  are  the  coral  and  banyan  trees. 

The  Vi  apple  is  a  beautiful,  spreading  tree. 
The  fruit  hangs  in  clusters  about  the  size  of 
russet  apples.  The  color  of  the  fruit  is  bronze 
green  with  golden  lights,  and  with  an  aromatic 
smell;  the  taste  is  agreeable,  slightly  acid. 

The  Cocoanut  Palm 

This  is  the  king  of  the  island  world  of  trees; 
its  feathery  crown  springs  from  the  top  of  the 
stately  stem  that  rises  eighty  or  ninety  feet  from 
the  ground.  The  leaf  is  eighteen  feet  in  length, 
compounded  with  sharp,  narrow  leaflets  three 
feet  in  length,  arranged  on  the  sides  of  the  cen- 
tral foot  stalk.  The  nuts  are  borne  in  bunches 
of  from  ten  to  twenty  nuts,  and  often  there  will 
be  on  one  tree  ten  or  fifteen  of  these  bunches 
of  ripening  nuts  at  one  time.  A  grove  of  cocoa- 
nut  trees  is  a  little  fortune  for  a  Pacific 
Islander.  The  juice  of  the  cocoanut  furnishes 
him  drink;  the  nut  furnishes  oil  and  food; 
the  leaves  weave  his  carpet  and  the  walls  of  his 
house;  the  midrib  is  his  thread;  from  the 
leaves  he  makes  his  thatch,  baskets,  hats,  fans, 
clothing.  The  delicate  fibre  he  has  learned  to 
weave  into  a  diaphanous  fabric  softer  than  silk. 
Old  nuts  and  the  refuse  of  nuts  used  to  make 
oil  are  used  to  fatten  cattle  and  pigs. 


INTRODUCTION  23 

The  Sting  Ray 

This  is  a  common  fish  whose  flesh  is  prized 
by  the  natives.  The  serrated  spines  of  the  tail 
of  this  fish  are  a  terrible  weapon.  When  em- 
bedded in  the  body  there  is  no  hope  of  life, 
for  it  is  impossible  to  pull  it  out,  and  with  each 
movement  of  the  body  the  spine  works  its  way 
into  the  vitals.  At  Samoa,  in  the  old  days,  a 
favorite  way  of  getting  rid  of  your  enemy  was 
to  set  upright  in  the  dried  grass  of  the  victim's 
sleeping  mat  a  splintered  spine  of  the  sting  ray. 
This,  piercing  the  body  during  sleep,  would  do 
its  deadly  work. 

The  Swordfish 

The  young  swordfish  are  caught  and  eaten, 
but  the  full-grown  fish,  ten  or  twelve  feet  in 
length,  is  the  terror  of  fishermen.  It  attacks 
and  sinks  their  canoes,  and  kills  the  men  with 
its  deadly  weapon. 

Birds 

The  land  birds  of  the  islands  are  becoming 
scarce.  This  is  largely  due  to  the  cats,  which 
were  first  introduced  by  missionaries  to  exter- 
minate the  rats,  —  they  took  to  hunting  birds 
when  the  rats  became  scarce.  With  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  birds  has  come  the  increase 
of  caterpillars,  that  are  destroying  the  taro  plan- 
tations in  many  islands. 


24 


CHRISTUS    REDEMPTOR 


Turtles 

These  are  common  and  highly  prized  for  food. 
The  female  turtle  lays  her  eggs,  numbering  one 
hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred,  in  the  sand. 
Turtles  sometimes  reach  a  very  great  size, 
weighing  three  hundred  pounds. 

ARTICLES    INTRODUCED    BY    MISSIONARIES 


Animals 

Vegetables 

Industries 

goats 

pumpkins 

lime  burning 

sheep 

melons 

smithing 

horses 

sweet  potatoes 

shipbuilding 

donkeys 

oranges 

sugar  boiling 

cattle 

lemons 

tobacco  raising 

turkeys 

pineapples 

carpentry 

geese 

coffee 

masonry 

ducks 

cotton 

hens 

indigo 

NUMERALS   IN   EIGHT  POLYNESIAN  DIALECTS 
SHOWING  A  COMMON  ORIGIN 

Tahiti  Marquesan  Earatina  Hawaiian    Tonga  Fiji     New  Zealand  Samoa 


1  tahi 

tahi 

tai 

kahi 

tana 

tasi 

tahi 

tasi 

2  rua 

ua 

rua 

lua 

lua 

rua 

ua 

lua 

3  toru 

to'u 

toru 

kolu 

tolu 

tdno 

toru 

tolu 

4  aha 

ha 

aa 

ha 

fa 

fa 

wa 

fa 

5  rima 

ima 

rima 

lima 

lima 

rima 

rima 

lima 

6  ono 

ono 

ono 

ono 

ono 

ono 

ono 

ono 

CHAPTER   I 

EARLY      MISSIONS     IN     THE      SOCIETY,     HERVEY, 
ASTRAL,    AND    PEARL    ISLANDS 

THE  SOCIETY  ISLANDS 

The  Voyage.  —  September  25,  1795,  is  a  not- 
able birthday,  for  on  that  day  the  London 
Missionary  Society  was  born.  It  celebrated 
its  very  first  birthday  by  determining  to  begin 
work  by  sending  a  shipload  of  missionaries  to 

"OTAHEITE  OR   SOME  OF   THE  ISLANDS  OF   THE 
SOUTH    SEAS" 

The  words  were  a  little  indefinite,  but  so  was 
geographical  knowledge  in  those  days,  —  and, 
if  their  language  was  indefinite,  their  purpose 
was  not.  They  meant  with  their  whole  souls 
to  take  the  knowledge  of  Christ  to  those  who 
had  it  not.  Thirty  men  were  ready  to  carry 
the  message.  Four  of  these  were  ministers, 
six  were  carpenters,  two  shoemakers,  two 
bricklayers,  two  tailors,  two  smiths,  two  weavers, 
a  surgeon,  a  hatter,  a  manufacturer,  a  cabinet 
maker,  a  harness  maker,  a  tinsmith,  a  cooper, 
a  butcher.  There  were  three  women  and  three 
children  also  in  the  party. 

Captain  Wilson,  a  noted  mariner,  who  had  had 
as  many  adventures  as  "  Sindbad,  the  Sailor," 

25 


26  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

and  had  been  wonderfully  converted  to  God, 
said  he  would  take  charge  of  any  ship  which 
the  society  might  purchase. 

So  great  was  the  enthusiasm  that  money  came 
pouring  in  from  all  parts  of  England.  The 
good  ship  Duff  was  bought  for  £4800,  and 
with  farewells  and  tears,  the  strange  cargo  of 
"missionaries  and  provisions"  set  sail.  The 
ensign  of  the  ship  was  a  purple  flag,  having  three 
doves  with  an  olive  branch  of  peace  in  their 
beaks.  As  the  banner  fluttered  in  the  breeze, 
August  10,  1796,  the  heroic  band  of  missionaries 
sang,  "  Jesus,  at  thy  command  we  launch  into 
the  deep."  Ocean  travel  was  no  easy  matter 
in  those  days,  and  it  was  seven  long,  weary 
months  before  the  Duff  came  to  anchor  in 
the  harbor  of  Tahiti. 

The  Island  to  which  these  first  missionaries 
had  come  is  one  of  the  Society  group,  named  by 
that  famous  voyager,  Captain  Cook.  There  are 
thirteen  islands  in  all;  the  eastern  group  of 
seven  called  the  Leeward,  and  the  western  group 
of  six,  the  Windward  Islands.  Between  these 
groups  the  sea  flows  in  a  channel  sixty  miles 
broad.  There  is  no  lovelier  spot  in  the  world 
than  the  bay  in  which  they  lay  at  anchor.  From 
a  beach  of  white  sand  the  luxuriant  trees  and 
vines  in  every  shade  of  verdant  green  rise  along 
the  sides  of  the  mountains  seven  thousand  feet 
above.  The  mountain  summits,  of  every  shade 
of  blue  and  gray  and  purple,  tower  in  precipitous 
peaks  and  pinnacles  that  seem  to  meet  the 
sky  above.    Within  the  coral  reef  the  ship  rode 


EARLY  MISSIONS  27 

safely  in  the  blue  waters  of  the  sea;  on  shore  the 
huts  of  the  natives  gleamed  amid  the  palm  trees 
and  flower-covered  vines.  This  bay  is  on 
Tahiti,  the  largest  of  the  Society  Islands.  The 
island  is  composed  of  two  parts,  united  by  an 
isthmus.  The  southern  part  called  Tairubu  is 
the  smaller,  six  by  twelve  miles.  The  northern 
portion,  named  Porionuu,  measures  twenty  by 
twenty-three  miles.  Around  the  island  ran  a 
broad  green  road  through  orchards  of  mangoes, 
breadfruit,  orange  trees,  sugar-cane,  and  cocoa- 
nut  palms.  The  people  of  the  Society  Islands 
belonged  to  the  Polynesian  race,  whose  char- 
acteristics and  customs  have  been  described  in 
the  Introduction  (pp.  4-8) .  The  Tahitians  were 
fine  specimens  of  the  race,  large  and  symmetrical, 
and  their  women  were  described  as  among  the 
most  beautiful  of  the  Pacific.  Just  before  the 
coming  of  the  missionaries  in  one  of  their  in- 
cessant inter-tribal  wars,  the  whole  island  had 
been  conquered  by  Pomare,  and  all  the  tribes 
united  under  his  leadership. 

First  Experiences.  —  When  the  little  ship 
came  to  anchor  in  the  beautiful  harbor, 
seventy-four  canoes  filled  with  savages  came 
out  to  see  her.  Next  day,  since  this  was  the 
Sabbath,  the  missionaries  landed  and  were  re- 
ceived by  the  king  and  queen.  A  Swede  who 
had  been  shipwrecked  on  the  island  interpreted 
to  the  king  the  purpose  for  which  the  mission- 
aries had  come,  and  the  king  assigned  them 
land,  and  gave  them  a  great  building  more  than 
a  hundred  feet  long  and  nearly  fifty  feet  wide  to 


28  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

live  in.  Here  Captain  Wilson  left  them  and 
went  sailing  away  to  England  with  the  good 
news  of  their  cordial  reception  by  the  natives. 
It  was  no  pastime,  being  a  missionary  in 
those  days,  —  there  were  no  steamship  lines, 
no  cables.  War  with  Napoleon  made  it  diffi- 
cult for  English  ships  to  start;  and  not  until 
five  long  years  had  passed  did  they  get  supplies 
or  news  from  home.  In  fact,  during  the  first 
twelve  years  of  their  stay  they  heard  from  home 
but  three  times.  "  Their  shoes  wore  out,  their 
clothes  gave  out,  and  tea  and  sugar  were  re- 
membered only  as  luxuries  of  the  past."  The 
natives,  after  their  supply  of  beads  and  knives 
were  gone,  neglected  and  mocked  them,  and 
sometimes  they  almost  starved.  Revolts  against 
the  king  and  constant  war  made  their  situation 
perilous.  These  days  of  trial  sifted  the  party. 
Many  of  the  missionaries  seized  any  oppor- 
tunity that  offered  to  sail  away  on  chance 
trading  vessels.  Of  the  seven  who  remained,  two 
died,  but  the  little  band  of  five  had  the  privilege 
in  1800  of  dedicating  the  first  church  building 
erected  for  Christian  worship  in  the  Pacific. 
King  Pomare  sent  a  fish  as  an  offering  to  Jesus 
Christ,  requesting  that  it  be  hung  up  in  the 
chapel.  In  1801  eight  missionaries  came  to 
reenforce  the  number  now  reduced  to  four. 

Death  of  the  King.  —  In  1804,  King  Pomare, 
after  strange  and  savage  adventures  which  you 
will  find  fully  written  out,  died,  and  his  son  Otu 
became  king  under  the  title  Pomare  II.  The 
old  king  had  been  a  most  cruel  and  brutal 


EARLY  MISSIONS  29 

savage,  offering  more  than  two  thousand  human 
sacrifices  to  appease  his  bloody  gods.  His  son 
seemed  about  to  follow  in  his  footsteps,  and 
in  1805,  after  eight  years  of  fruitless  labor,  six 
missionaries  removed  from  Tahiti  to  Huahine. 
In  the  years  of  war  that  followed  the  mission 
seemed  broken  up,  the  house  burned,  the  print- 
ing press  destroyed,  and  only  two  heroic  souls 
left  to  carry  on  the  forlorn  hope.  In  this  dark- 
est time  light  was  already  beginning  to  break. 
The  king's  heart  was  turning  toward  the  new 
doctrine.  He  invited  the  missionaries  to  follow 
him  to  the  island  of  Eimeo,  whither  he  had  fled 
in  one  of  the  wars.  Here  he  began  to  break 
away  from  idolatry;  he  ate  a  sacred  turtle  that 
should  have_  been  offered  to  one  of  the  idols, 
and  when  no  harm  came  to  him  dared  still 
farther.  The  people  began  to  cast  away  their 
idols,  and  to  keep  the  Christian  Sabbath,  and 
listen  to  the  preaching  of  the  good  news. 

Discouragement  in  England.  —  Meanwhile, 
the  people  of  England  who  wanted  quick  re- 
turns and  something  to  show  for  their  money, 
were  beginning  to  get  discouraged  after  sixteen 
years  of  waiting  for  results.  It  was  proposed 
in  the  London  Missionary  Society  to  give  up  the 
work  as  hopeless.  But  Rev.  Thomas  Haweis 
protested  and  backed  his  protest  with  a  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  Rev.  Matthew  Wilkes  said  he 
would  rather  give  the  clothes  from  his  back  than 
abandon  the  mission,  and  urged  that  a  special 
season  of  prayer  be  observed.  These  good 
counsels  prevailed,  and  the  ship  bearing  fresh 


30  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

supplies  and  news  of  the  renewed  determination 
of  those  at  home  to  prosecute  the  work  was  met 
in  mid-ocean  by  the  vessel  loaded  with  the  cargo 
of  the  rejected  idols  of  the  Tahitians,  and  carry- 
ing the  grand  news  of  the  first  success. 

Pomare  II  and  the  Reformation.  —  Soon 
after  this  Pomare  was  restored  to  his  rightful 
government.  He  collected  all  the  royal  idols, 
and  in  1811  sent  them  to  London,  where  you 
may  still  see  them  in  the  Museum  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  He  wrote  a  touching  prayer 
for  the  use  of  his  people,  and  began  himself  to 
go  to  school  that  he  might  lead  them  aright. 
In  1817  a  printing  press  was  set  up,  and  could 
not  work  fast  enough  to  supply  the  demand 
for  Bibles  and  Hymn-books.  The  natives 
crowded  around  the  doors,  peered  through  the 
windows  of  the  building  where  the  press  was 
placed,  and  could  not  be  induced  to  return  to 
their  homes  without  one  of  the  precious  books. 
Schoolhouses  and  churches  rose  in  every 
village.  The  king  himself  provided  the  mate- 
rials, and  paid  for  the  building  of  a  great  church 
seven  hundred  and  twelve  feet  long.  Through 
it,  diagonally,  ran  a  stream  of  living  water  that 
could  not  be  diverted  on  its  way  from  the  moun- 
tains to  the  sea.  The  building  had  one  hundred 
and  three  windows  and  twenty-nine  doors,  and 
in  it  were  three  pulpits,  two  hundred  and  sixty 
feet  apart.  Here,  in  the  presence  of  four  thou- 
sand of  his  subjects,  King  Pomare  was  baptized. 

Continued  Progress.  —  We  cannot  follow  the 
glowing  story  of  how  the  king  had  a  code  of 


EARLY  MISSIONS  31 

laws  made  and  read  it  to  seven  thousand  of  his 
people,  who,  by  solemn  vote,  made  these  the  law 
of  the  land.  Neither  can  we  follow  the  good 
work  as  it  extended  to  the  other  islands.  In  1817 
John  Williams  put  his  mighty  shoulder  to  the 
wheel,  and  in  his  "  Narrative  of  Missionary 
Enterprises  in  the  South  Seas,"  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  books  ever  written,  you  will  find 
recounted  how  he  built  the  ship,  beguiled  from 
the  people  their  hearts  and  their  language  at  the 
same  time,  cruised  among  the  islands,  and  car- 
ried the  light  to  one  after  another  of  them  in  turn. 
In  1839  Captain  Hervey  in  command  of  a 
whale-ship  made  the  following  statement:  — 

"  Tahiti  is  the  most  civilized  place  I  have  been  at  in 
the  South  Seas.  They  have  a  good  code  of  laws  and 
no  liquors  are  allowed  to  be  landed  on  the  island.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  gratifying  sights  the  eye  can  witness 
to  see,  on  Sunday,  in  their  church,  which  holds  about 
four  thousand,  the  Queen  near  the  pulpit  with  all  her 
subjects  about  her,  decently  apparelled  and  seemingly 
in  pure  devotion." 

Later  History.  —  Alas,  that  the  little  com- 
munity could  not  have  been  left  to  climb  in  its 
upward  path  unchecked !  In  1836  some  French 
priests  attempted  to  enter  Tahiti,  and  from  that 
time  there  was  one  long  succession  of  intrigues 
and  oppression,  until  in  1880  the  Society  Islands 
were  formally  annexed  by  France.  One's  blood 
boils  to  read  how  under  guise  of  religion  these 
islands  which  the  missionaries  were  peacefully 
developing  for  the  benefit  of  the  natives,  were 
ruthlessly  despoiled  by  the  greed  of  a  so-called 


32  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

Christian  nation.  War,  devastation,  and,  worst 
of  all,  moral  corruption  were  the  portion  of  the 
unfortunate  islanders.  They  were  forced  to 
import  intoxicants;  the  diseases  of  civilization 
were  introduced  by  corrupt  soldiery  and  sailors. 
The  mission  schools  were  either  closed  or  else 
compelled  to  teach  in  French,  and  no  natives 
were  allowed  to  contribute  to  any  missionary 
society.  Under  these  circumstances  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  turned  over  to  the  care 
of  the  Evangelical  Society  of  France  the  mission 
bought  at  the  price  of  such  a  sacrifice. 

The  long  wars,  the  oppression  and  the  vices 
introduced  by  military  occupation,  have  told 
sadly  on  the  natives.  A  degenerate  and  spirit- 
less people  take  the  place  of  the  native  churches 
that  so  bravely  and  jubilantly  entered  the  path 
of  civilization  a  hundred  years  ago.  Yet,  as 
we  shall  see,  the  Tahitian  Church,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  was  the  seed  plot  from  which  the 
islands  of  the  sea  were  to  be  evangelized.  Re- 
cent reports  seem  to  show  that  the  worst  point 
has  been  passed  and  that  the  conditions  of  the 
islanders  are  now  slowly  beginning  to  improve 
and  their  numbers  to  increase. 

Statistics.  —  The  population  in  1897  is  given 
as  10,300,  of  whom  2500  are  French.  A  large 
portion  of  the  trade  is  with  the  United  States; 
imports  to  the  value  of  1,987,000  francs  as 
against  600,000  francs  from  France,  and  267,000 
francs  from  England;  exports  of  2,000,000 
francs  to  the  United  States,  more  than  half  the 
total  export. 


EARLY  MISSIONS  33 

"The  island  of  tranquil  delights  rose  out  of  the  sea, 
a  pyramid  of  flowers  girdled  with  a  silver  zone ;  the 
reef  that  flashed  and  sang  opened  to  admit  us,  and  then 
seemed  to  close  again  and  shut  us  in  a  little  world  of 
unutterable  beauty."  —  Stoddard. 

INCIDENT  IN  RAIATEA 

Betuve's  hands  and  feet  having  been  eaten  off 
by  disease,  he  was  compelled  to  walk  upon  his  knees. 
Yet  he  contrived  to  cultivate  his  little  patch  of  ground 
so  skilfully  that  his  wife  and  three  children  were  well 
supplied  with  food.  His  only  implement  for  doing 
this  was  a  piece  of  pointed  iron-wood.  With  this  he 
pierced  the  ground  by  pressing  the  whole  weight  of 
his  body  upon  it.  He  then  scooped  out  the  thus 
loosened  earth  with  his  wrist  stumps,  and  placed  the 
plant  in  the  hole.  In  the  same  manner  he  removed 
the  weeds. 

One  evening  he  greeted  Mr.  Williams  with  the  shout 
of  "Welcome,  servant  of  God,  who  brought  light  into 
this  dark  island."  After  hearing  Betuve's  account  of 
the  incarnation  and  death  of  Christ,  Mr.  Williams  said 
to  him :  — 

"You  pray,  of  course?" 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  very  frequently  pray  as  I  weed  my 
ground  and  plant  my  food,  but  always  three  times  a 
day,  besides  praying  with  my  family  every  morning 
and  night." 

The  remainder  of  the  conversation  can  best  be  told 
in  Mr.  Williams's  own  words. 

"I  asked  him  what    he    said  when    he  prayed? 

"He  answered,  'I  say,  O  Lord,  I  am  a  great  sinner, 
may  Jesus  take  my  sins  away  by  his  good  blood ;  give 
me  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  to  adorn  me,  and  give  me 
the  spirit  of  Jesus  to  instruct  me  and  make  my  heart 
good,  to  make  me  a  man  of  Jesus,  and  take  me  to 
heaven  when  I  die.' 

"'Well,'  I  replied,  'that,  Betuve,  is  very  excellent, 
but  where  did  you  obtain  your  knowledge  ? ' 


34  CRRISTU8  REBEMPTOR 

" '  From  you,  to  be  sure ;  who  brought  us  the  news 
of  salvation,  but  yourself?' 

"'True,'  I  replied,  'but  I  do  not  recollect  having 
seen  you  at  either  of  the  settlements  to  hear  me  speak 
of  these  things,  and  how  do  you  obtain  your  knowledge 
of  them?' 

"'Why,'  he  said,  'as  the  people  return  from  the 
services,  I  take  my  seat  by  the  roadside  and  beg  a 
bit  of  the  Word  of  them  as  they  pass  by ;  one  gives  me 
one  piece,  another  another  piece,  and  I  collect  them 
together  in  my  heart,  and  by  thinking  over  what  I 
thus  obtain,  and  praying  to  God  to  make  me  know, 
I  understand  a  little  of  His  Word.'" 

THE  ASTRAL  AND   PEARL  ISLANDS 

It  is  like  turning  from  the  stormy  pages  of 
Joshua  to  the  Book  of  Ruth  to  pass  from  the 
storm  and  stress  of  the  later  history  of  the  So- 
ciety Islands  to  the  story  of  the  Astral  and  Pearl 
Islands.  They  are  only  tiny  groups  of  islets, 
hidden  on  the  broad  bosom  of  the  Pacific;  but 
here,  unhindered  and  unharmed,  the  sweet  story 
of  God's  redeeming  grace  has  been  allowed  to 
work  out  its  natural  and  inevitable  transforma- 
tion !  It  is  good  for  tortured  faith  to  look  at 
some  bright  spot  like  this  where  the  gospel  has 
had  free  course  and  been  glorified. 

Astral  Islands.  —  Fortunately  (alas  that  it  is 
true),  far  from  the  ordinary  trade  route  of  the 
Pacific,  the  Astral  group  of  volcanic  islands  lift 
their  fronded  palms  in  air  about  three  hundred 
miles  south  of  Tahiti.  The  largest  of  the  group, 
Rurutu,  is  only  five  miles  long  and  two  miles 
wide,  its  steep  summits  rising  twelve  hundred 
feet  above  the  ocean. 


EARLY  MISSIONS  35 

Missionary  Beginnings.  —  The  entrance  of 
the  evangel  came,  as  it  so  often  does,  through 
seeming  misfortune.  A  terrible  plague,  which 
the  natives  believed  was  due  to  the  anger  of  their 
gods,  was  devastating  the  island  in  1820.  Two 
of  the  chiefs,  hoping  to  escape  to  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  more  propitious  divinities,  fled  to  a 
neighboring  island,  and  were  driven  by  a  storm 
three  hundred  miles  out  of  their  course  to  one 
of  the  Society  Islands.  Here  they  found  a 
truly  astounding  state  of  affairs :  idols  thrown 
down,  temples  destroyed,  and  the  people  en- 
gaged in  learning  a  strange,  new  teaching  from 
white  men  who  had  come  in  swift  ships  from 
the  mysterious  edge  of  the  encompassing  sea. 

Auura,  the  First  Convert.  — Auura,  one  of  the 
two  chiefs,  received  the  word  in  a  good  and 
honest  heart.  He  set  himself  earnestly  and 
humbly  to  learn  the  new  path,  and  with  such 
diligence  did  he  study  that  in  four  months  he 
was  able  to  read  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  and 
repeat  much  of  the  catechism.  He  publicly 
renounced  idolatry,  and  asked  that  teachers  be 
sent  back  with  him  to  his  countrymen.  The 
same  Holy  Spirit  that  had  said  "  separate  me 
Barnabas  and  Saul  "  to  the  church  in  Antioch, 
spoke  to  the  little  church  at  Borabora,  and  with 
tears  and  prayers  they  sent  back  two  of  their 
deacons  with  Auura.  In  little  more  than  a 
month  the  boat  returned  with  fourteen  of  the- 
idols  of  Rurutu.  To  the  multitudes  who  gath- 
ered to  hear  the  report  of  these  first  apostles 
of  the  Polynesians,  they  reported  the  wonder- 


36  CHRISTUS  REBEMPTOR 

fill  news.  How  the  king  had  told  his  people 
of  the  good  news  that  had  transformed  the 
Society  Islands;  how  a  great  test  had  been  made 
in  which  the  teachers  and  their  wives  partook 
together  of  food  that  was  tabu,  and  how  the 
islanders,  seeing  that  no  harm  befell  them,  were 
willing  to  listen  to  the  teaching.  With  great 
joy  the  Borabora  church  heard  the  story,  and 
planned  to  give  the  gospel  to  the  other  and  re- 
moter islands.  On  four  other  of  the  Astral 
Islands  work  was  begun,  and  in  a  few  years 
the  entire  population,  through  the  ministry  of 
these  native  evangelists,  renounced  heathenism 
and  embraced  Christianity.  In  1822,  when 
inspectors  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
visited  the  islands,  they  were  welcomed  by 
throngs  of  joyful  people,  and  heard  King  Auura 
say,  "We  have  given  our  island  to  Jesus  Christ, 
to  be  governed  by  him  as  our  King." 

Later  Reports.  —  A  delegation  from  the 
American  Mission  in  Hawaii  visited  the  islands 
in  1832,  and  Mr.  Alexander  wrote  a  glowing 
report  of  the  conditions.  Instead  of  constant 
wars  and  hideous  superstitions  he  found  the 
houses  for  the  most  part  neat  and  substantial, 
most  of  the  people  could  read  and  possessed 
many  copies  of  the  Scriptures.  He  found 
groves  of  chestnut,  breadfruit,  cocoanut,  sugar- 
cane, and  bananas,  with  fields  of  sweet  potatoes 
and  pineapples.  In  the  spacious  church,  eighty 
by  thirty-six  feet,  he  found  a  pile  of  tapa,  and 
great  bamboos  of  oil  contributed  by  the  natives 
to   the   London   Missionary   Society.    He   esti- 


EARLY  MISSIONS  37 

mated  the  number  of  inhabitants  to  be  two 
hundred  and  fifty. 

In  1887  we  have  the  account  of  a  visit  made 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Richards,  in  the  mission  ship 
John  Williams.  At  Rurutu  he  found  the  popu- 
lation had  increased  to  seven  hundred  and  sixty. 
A  stone  church  with  walls  two-and-a-half  feet 
thick,  and  large  enough  to  seat  five  hundred, 
had  taken  the  place  of  the  first  building.  The 
chief  trader  said,  "  I  could  leave  most  of  them 
alone  in  my  store  without  fear  of  being  robbed." 
Mr.  Richards  had  come  to  get  volunteers  for  a 
newly  opened  foreign  mission  in  New  Guinea. 
This  meant  foreign  missions  with  a  vengeance 
to  these  simple  islanders.  New  Guinea  is  two 
thousand  miles  distant,  with  trying  climate,  a 
different  race,  —  the  frizzle-headed  Papuan,  — 
and  a  language  entirely  unknown  to  the  people 
of  Rurutu.  Yet  the  church  gladly  set  aside 
two  of  its  members,  a  man  and  his  wife,  to  go  as 
foreign  missionaries. 

In  1890  these  islands,  with  others  that  had 
passed  under  French  rule,  were  turned  over 
to  the  Protestant  French  Missionary  Society 
by  the  London  Missionary  Society.  In  their  case 
let  us  hope  that  the  development  out  of  savagery 
into  fulness  of  Christian  liberty  will  continue 
unchecked  by  debasing  influences  from  the 
outside. 

The  Pearl  Islands  are  not  like  the  Astral 
Islands,  volcanic  in  origin,  but  are  coral  islands 
of  the  atoll  type.  The  low-lying  reefs  and  islands 
enclosing  broad   lagoons  stretch  in   a  slender 


38  CHBISTUS  REDEKPTOR 

archipelago  for  fifteen  hundred  miles  along  the 
surface  of  the  sea.  There  is  no  striking  scenery 
nor  luxuriant  vegetation.  The  soil  is  scanty, 
and  sustains  little  save  the  breadfruit  and 
cocoanut  trees.  Many  of  the  islands  give 
scanty  subsistence  to  but  a  few  score  of  people, 
and  some  are  not  inhabited  at  all.  But,  though 
the  riches  of  the  land  have  been  denied,  here 
the  abundance  of  the  seas  is  seen  in  full  measure. 
Beautiful  seaweeds  wave  from  the  reefs  of  the 
lagoon,  myriads  of  brilliantly  colored  fish  flash 
in  and  out  the  coral  groves,  which  nowhere  else 
exhibit  such  variations  of  color.  In  this  warm 
sea  of  crystal  clearness  are  found  pearls  that 
make  the  island  riches.  The  first  traders  pur- 
chased bags  of  pearls  with  a  musket.  The 
pearl  necklace  of  the  Empress  Eugenie,  and  the 
splendid  pearl  of  Queen  Victoria,  valued  at 
$30,000,  came  from  these  far-away  islands. 
Pearl  shells  are  collected  here  for  about  $30  per 
ton,  to  be  sold  in  London  for  $500  a  ton.  The 
output  is  about  two  hundred  tons  annually. 

Introduction  of  Christianity.  —  The  story  of 
the  conversion  of  these  islands  is  almost  a 
repetition  of  that  of  the  Astral  Islands.  Refu- 
gees fleeing  from  war  landed  in  Tahiti,  and 
here  came  under  the  instruction  of  the  London 
Missionaries.  One  of  these,  Moorea,  returned 
home  in  1827  to  tell  to  his  people  the  old,  old 
story.  His  fellow-islanders,  incredulous,  went  by 
hundreds  a  distance  of  three  hundred  miles  to 
Tahiti  to  see  whether  these  things  were  true. 
There  they  received  instruction,  many  of  them 


EARLY  MISSIONS  39 

were  baptized,  and  returned  to  confirm  and 
spread  the  wonderful  tidings.  In  1832  Moorea 
and  Teraa  were  ordained  evangelists  and  sent 
throughout  the  group,  and  by  1839,  war,  canni- 
balism, and  idolatry  had  ceased,  and  a  church 
had  been  erected  in  every  district. 

This  same  year,  1839,  Commodore  Charles 
Wilkes,  in  command  of  the  United  States  ex- 
ploring expedition,  visited  these  islands.  He 
said:  "Nothing  could  be  more  striking  than  the 
difference  between  these  natives  and  those  of 
the  Disappointment  Islands.  The  half-civili- 
zation of  the  natives  of  Raraku  was  very  marked, 
and  it  appears  as  though  we  had  just  issued  out 
of  darkness  into  light.  If  the  missionaries  had 
effected  nothing  else,  they  would  have  deserved 
the  thanks  of  all  who  roam  over  this  wide  ex- 
panse of  ocean,  and  incur  its  many  unknown 
and  hidden  dangers." 

"I  saw  those  glorious  green  peaks  growing  dim  in 
the  distance;  the  clouds  embraced  them  in  their 
profound  secrecy;  like  a  lovely  mirage  Tahiti  floated 
upon  the  bosom  of  the  sea.  Between  sea  and  sky 
was  swallowed  up  vale,  garden,  and  waterfall;  point 
after  point  crowded  with  palms,  peak  above  peak  in 
that  eternal  crown  of  beauty."  —  Stoddard. 


40  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


TARAiERE'S   STORY 

One  winter  season  the  chief  Ngaapaimarokura 
(usually  shortened  to  Apai)  of  the  island  of  Raratonga 
resolved  upon  an  immense  oven  of  ti  roots.  A  great 
hole  was  dug,  the  stones  heated  red  hot,  the  roots 
(four  feet  in  length)  arranged  in  the  oven  upon  a  layer 
of  succulent  leaves  to  keep  them  from  scorching,  the 
whole  covered  with  an  abundance  of  leaves,  and  earth 
and  stones  were  piled  on  top  to  keep  in  earth  and 
steam.  They  had  now  to  wait  twenty-four  hours  ere 
the  sweet  roots  would  be  ready.  Apai  desired  hie 
uncle  to  improve  this  spare  time  by  catching  a  son  of 
Kapo  to  eat  with  the  ti  roots.  Accordingly  the  vic- 
tim was  brought  to  Apai,  slain,  singed,  and  cooked. 
When  the  ovens  were  opened  the  whole  clan  received 
equal  shares  of  ti  root  and  the  victim. 

When  the  feasting  was  over  the  chief  said  to  Angene, 
"To-morrow  you  will  fetch  the  rest  of  that  family, 
as  a  relish  for  our  intended  oven  of  plantain  roots." 

Early  the  next  morning  the  killing  party  started 
off  for  the  two  remaining  lads  and  their  sister.  Some 
one  had  given  a  hint,  for  they  had  run  off  in  the  night 
to  another  chief,  Vakatini,  for-  protection.  Though 
they  were  serfs  belonging  to  Apai,  they  were  kindly 
received  because  they  were  related  to  Vakatini 's 
wife.  They  were  sent  to  a  plantation  belonging  to 
their  new  master  to  get  food.  The  lads  and  their 
sister  were  on  their  way  back  when  they  unhappily 
fell  in  with  Apai  and  his  party  carrying  in  a  long  basket 
the  body  of  a  boy,  covered  with  leaves.  Apai  said  to 
his  followers,  "  Here  are  the  pigs1  we  were  in  search  of. " 

The  cannibals  surrounded  them  and  led  them  away 
to  slaughter.  Both  of  the  boys  were  killed,  and  they 
were  about  to  strangle  the  girl  when  Vakatini  came  up 
and  snatched  her  away,  saying,  "You  have  enough, 

1 A  human  being  was  never  called  a  pig  in  Raratonga 
unless  intended  for  eating.  To-day  it  is  the  direst  offence 
to  call  another  a  pig.    This  is  the  true  Raratongan  curse. 


EARLY  MISSIONS  41 

this  is  mine."  Since  he  was  well  armed,  and  a  great 
chief  and  warrior,  they  did  not  dare  resist  him  and  he 
succeeded  in  saving  the  girl.  She  lived  in  his  family 
and  became  the  wife  of  his  priest  Potikitana. 

One  day  after  this  Angene  said  to  Apai,  "Will  not 
all  this  be  revenged  upon  your  son,  Tukunasa,  some 
day?"  In  words  that  have  become  a  proverb,  Apai 
answered :  — 

Ta  Tukunsea  rapunga  ake  kua  aere  Ngaapai.  "It 
is  for  Tukunsea  to  look  after  himself  when  the  warrior 
Apai  is  gone." 

The  old  deacon  Taraaere  used  to  wind  up  this  story 
by  saying,  "That  woman  was  my  grandmother." 

"Do  you  recollect  her?"   the  missionary  asked. 

"  How  can  I  forget  her,  seeing  she  brought  me  up  ?  " 

After  hearing  this  story  the  missionary  called  on 
Teakuo,  a  grandson  of  Apai,  also  a  church  member, 
to  ascertain  if  the  story  were  correct.  He  said  ener- 
getically, "  Every  word  is  true ;  long  ago  would  my 
family  have  eaten  Taraaere's  people  in  revenge,  had 
not  the  gospel  of  Jesus  been  brought  to  our  shores." 

NATIVE  CHURCH 

"I  do  not  think  the  standard  of  Christian  character 
attained  by  the  converts  generally  can  be  compared  to 
that  reached  by  the  best,  maturest,  and  most  devoted 
Christians  in  our  own  country.  There  is,  to  a  great 
extent,  a  want  of  stamina  in  many  of  the  converts. 
Many  show  themselves  to  be  mere  children  or  even 
babes  in  the  divine  life.  Strong  religious  feeling  is 
almost  entirely  absent  from  the  Malayo-Polynesians. 

"Native  oratory  is  full  of  metaphor,  song,  parable. 
Persons  well  versed  in  the  vernacular  may  be  at  a  loss 
as  to  the  meaning  of  a  long  speech,  which  to  the  native 
is  full  of  power.  Ordinary  English  address  translated 
would  fall  flat."  — Rev.  S.  T.  Whitmee,  1878. 


42  CHBISTUS  EEBEMPTOR 


QUOTATIONS  FROM  NATIVE  SERMONS, 
PRAYERS,  AND   SAYINGS,  ETC. 

In  Raratonga  on  the  election  of  a  new  Tinomana 
he  is  borne  in  a  new  canoe  on  the  shoulders  of  the  clan 
to  the  church  (in  heathen  days  it  was  to  the  marce). 
In  allusion  to  this  custom,  a  native  preacher  asked  in 
a  sermon  preached  soon  after  the  election,  "Who  will 
bear  the  canoe  of  the  King  of  Kings?"  This  was  the 
"support  of  the  cause"  translated  into  the  vernacular. 

A  common  Raratongan  proverb,  current  long  be- 
fore the  introduction  of  Christianity,  is  "O  for  a 
Divine  brother !  as  Tapai  was  wont  to  say." 

Another  proverb  uttered  ages  ago  by  a  Rara- 
tongan woman  is: — 

E  uenua  te  po; 

E  takaro  onga  te  ao. 

That  is,  "This  world  is  but  a  brief  resting  place,  our 
home  is  in  the  spirit  land." 

A  famous  place  of  pilgrimage  in  Raratonga  is  a 
never  failing  fountain  in  the  central  mountain.  Fall- 
ing over  the  edge  of  the  cliff  this  water  becomes  the 
source  of  all  the  streams  on  the  island.  "It  is  even 
so  with  the  Gospel,"  said  Teinaiti.  "From  this  one 
source  flows  the  living  stream  to  every  nation  upon 
earth." 

It  is  remarked,  "All  our  large  birds  assemble  on  the 
branches  of  the  banyan  tree  in  order  to  feed  upon  its 
golden  berries.  Even  so  do  God's  people  flock  to  the 
Word  of  God." 

Sumeo,  a  Samoan  teacher,  in  New  Guinea,  said, 
"Our  life  is  like  a  little  bird  carried  in  the  Master's 
hand.     He  opens  His  hand,  —  it  is  gone." 


EARLY  MISSIONS  43 

Islanders  on  a  flat  island  had  never  seen  or  heard 
of  a  hill.  Some  one  described  a  mountain  and  showed 
pictures  of  the  mountains  of  Europe.  "Oh,  we  have 
one  on  this  island."  "Where?"  "We  will  show 
you,"  —  showing  a  hillock  twenty  feet  high. 

"We  know  your  God  is  stronger  than  ours,  but  we 
love  darkness.     To  us  darkness  is  good,  light  is  bad." 

Speech  of  Puna  when  Native  Missionary 
Society  was  formed  on  Raiatea  by  John 
Williams :  — 

"  Friends,  I  have  a  little  question.  In  your  thoughts 
what  is  it  that  makes  the  heavy  ships  sail?  I  think 
it  is  the  wind.  If  there  were  no  wind,  the  ships  would 
stay  in  one  place.  Now  I  think  the  money  of  the 
Great  Missionary  Society  is  like  the  wind.  If  there 
had  been  none,  no  ship  would  have  come  here  with 
missionaries.  If  there  is  no  property,  how  can  we  send 
missionaries  to  other  countries?  How  can  the  ships 
go?    Let  us  give  them  what  we  can." 


"May  our  missionary  be  as  a  candle-nut  torch,  not 
soon  to  go  out,  and  may  his  thoughts  not  soon  turn  to 
the  land  of  his  birth." 


"May  the  word  preached  stick  in  the  minds  of  the 
ungodly  like  a  fish-bone  in  the  throat." 

"O  thou  Mighty  Tree,  under  whose  grateful  shade 
we  rest,"  etc. 

"May  the  professions  of  these  new  converts  be  not 
like  the  breadfruits,  which  now  load  the  trees  —  soon 
to  pass  away  —  but  like  our  everlasting  mountains." 


44  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

Pahi,  native  of  Raiatea,  when  the  first  annual 
meeting  of  the  Missionary  Society  showed  that  the 
people  had  brought  in  produce  the  equivalent  of 
$2000,  said :  — 

"We  are  constantly  praying,  'Let  thy  Word  grow/ 
but  if  we  do  not  use  the  means,  how  can  the  word  grow  ? 
What  would  you  think  of  a  man  whose  canoe  was  fast 
upon  the  beach  and  who  knelt  down  and  prayed  to 
God  that  his  canoe  might  reach  the  sea  ?  Would  you 
not  call  him  a  foolish  man  and  desire  him  to  stand  up 
and  drag  his  canoe?  And  shall  we  not  all  act  as 
foolish  a  part  if  we  pray  and  do  not  use  the  means  for 
making  the  word  of  God  grow?" 

"  Let  our  hands  forget  how  to  lift  the  club  or  throw 
the  spear.  Let  our  guns  decay  with  rust,  we  do  not 
want  them.  Though  we  have  been  pierced  with  bows 
or  spears,  if  we  pierce  each  other  now,  let  it  be  with 
the  word  of  God." 

Native  Christians,  Tahiti. 

"Angels  would  rejoice  to  be  employed  by  God  to 
teach  the  world  this  gospel  of  Christ." 

(Convert  at  Raiatea.) 

"Let  us  expel  the  word  of  God  from  our  land  while 
it  is  young." 

(Heathen  Priest  at  Raiatea.) 

THE     HERVEY    ISLANDS     AND    WORK     OF     JOHN 
WILLIAMS 

We  have  already  seen  how  the  mission  to 
the  Society  Islands  was  reenforced  in  1817  by 
the  coming  of  John  Williams.  The  mission  at 
once  felt  the  stimulus  of  his  strong  personality. 
Most  of  the  missionaries  had  needed  three  years 
of  hard   work   with   grammar   and  lexicon  to 


EARLY  MISSIONS  45 

master  the  language.  He  moved  familiarly 
among  the  natives,  working,  laughing,  listen- 
ing, and  asking  questions,  and  in  ten  months 
was  preaching  to  them  in  their  own  tongue. 
In  Eimeo  he  found  a  boat,  her  keel  laid  down 
three  years  before,  but  left  uncompleted.  To 
such  good  advantage  had  he  used  his  eyes  in 
studying  ship-construction  on  his  voyage  that 
in  ten  days  he  was  able  to  complete  the  boat 
and  present  her  to  King  Pomare  for  trading 
with  New  South  Wales.  It  might  be  remarked 
in  passing  that  this  was  only  the  first  of  five 
boats  built  by  John  Williams  for  use  in  the  South 
Seas.  When  tools  failed  he  made  them;  when 
rats  ate  the  only  leather  he  had  for  bellows,  in 
his  rude  forge  he  contrived  a  box  that  should 
act  as  bellows;  when  he  had  no  rope,  he  learned 
how  to  make  ropes,  good  ropes,  too,  that  ships 
were  glad  to  buy. 

First  Work  in  Society  Islands.  —  For  some 
years  Mr.  Williams  was  stationed  in  the  island 
Raiatea,  whose  King  Tamatoa  had  visited 
Tahiti,  and,  impressed  by  the  fruits  of  Christianity 
there,  desired  his  own  island  to  receive  the  teach- 
ing. 

The  first  thing  Mr.  Williams  did  after  going 
to  Raiatea  was  to  build  himself  a  fine,  large, 
comfortable  house,  to  show  the  natives  how 
people  ought  to  live,  and  then  to  form  a  settle- 
ment of  the  natives  who  had  before  lived  in 
isolated  hovels.  Here  friendliness  and  coopera- 
tion might  thrive,  and  here  the  men  might  learn 
by  imitation  as  they  saw  him  making  with  his 


46  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

own  hands  all  the  furniture  for  his  house.  In 
a  year  there  was  a  village  of  a  thousand,  neatly- 
housed  in  pretty  cottages  extending  two  miles 
along  the  sea-shore.  While  here  he  built  his 
second  boat,  put  together  of  planks  bound  with 
native  cord.  This  friendly  practical  fellow  who 
whittled  and  talked  and  worked  so  eagerly  soon 
acquired  a  tremendous  influence  over  the 
natives.  Bibles  were  brought  from  Tahiti,  a 
missionary  society  was  formed  by  the  king  and 
queen,  and  $2500  was  given  to  "  cause  the  word 
of  God  to  grow  "  in  other  islands.  A  chapel 
was  built,  new,  just  laws  formed,  and  a  court- 
house added  to  the  chapel.  With  wonder  and 
delight  the  people  saw  the  first  chandelier  of 
cocoanut  shells,  which  John  Williams  had  con- 
trived to  light  the  new  church.  The  cultivation 
of  sugar-cane  was  introduced,  a  sugar-mill  built; 
and  then  his  eager  soul  began  to  long  for  fresh 
fields  to  reach  and  conquer. 

Embassy  from  Rurutu.  —  It  was  in  1821  that 
an  embassy  came  to  Raiatea  from  Rurutu  of  the 
Astral  Islands,  three  hundred  miles  away.  They 
were  amazed  with  what  they  saw  and  begged 
two  native  teachers  to  go  back  to  their  homes 
with  them.  "We  cannot  go  to  our  own  land 
of  darkness,  without  a  light  in  our  hands,"  they 
said.  Returning  home  with  the  native  teachers 
they  tested  the  revolutionary  doctrines  by  com- 
pelling two  women  to  eat  food  that  was  tabu. 
When  they  did  not  at  once  die,  and  no  dreadful 
calamity  followed,  they  received  the  word  with 
joy.    In  a  few  weeks  the  boats  came  back  to 


EARLY  MISSIONS  47 

Raiatea  with  a  load  of  idols,  which  were  ex- 
hibited in  the  church.  The  national  god  of 
Rurutu,  Aa  by  name,  was  most  interesting  of  all. 
He  was  hung  all  over  with  lesser  gods,  and  in 
his  great  back  was  a  door,  which,  being  opened, 
showed  four-and-twenty  small  idols  neatly 
hidden  away  inside. 

These  visible  fruits  of  their  mission  so  inspired 
the  people  of  Raiatea  that  like  other  good 
Christians  they  increased  their  missionary  con- 
tributions and  raised  $9000  to  carry  the  gospel 
to  other  islands,  a  marvellous  record  when  you 
consider  that  they  themselves  were  not  five  years 
out  of  savagery.  "A  little  property  given  with 
the  heart  becomes  a  big  property  in  the  sight  of 
God,"  they  said. 

Entrance  to  the  Herveys.  —  At  this  time  John 
Williams's  health  was  so  alarmingly  impaired 
that  he  was  forced  to  go  with  his  wife  to  Aus- 
tralia for  medical  attendance,  and  food  on  which 
a  European  might  thrive.  This  voyage  in  1821 
was  the  occasion  of  the  answer  to  his  prayer  that 
God  might  send  him  to  regions  yet  unreached. 
On  the  way  to  Sydney  he  left  two  native  teachers 
at  Aitutaki,  an  island  of  the  Hervey  group;  and 
while  he  goes  on  in  search  of  his  lost  health,  we 
will  improve  the  time  by  taking  a  glimpse  of  the 
islands  of  the  group.  The  Hervey  Islands  are 
fifteen  in  number,  six  good-sized  and  the  others 
tiny  islets.  Some  are  low  coral  islets  rising  only 
a  few  feet  above  the  waters,  to  which  class 
Hervey  itself  belongs.  Some  are  elevated  coral 
islands,   rising  to  a  height   of  500   feet,  very 


48  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

fertile,  and  beautifully  green  and  luxuriant  in 
vegetation;  and  to  this  class  belong  Atio, 
Mangaia,  and  Aitutaki  where  the  teachers  had 
been  left.  Then  there  is  one  mountainous  island, 
one  of  the  most  picturesque  in  the  south  seas, 
Raratonga,  the  future  home  of  John  Williams, 
and  the  scene  of  marvellous  triumphs  of  the 
gospel. 

The  People.  —  Unlike  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Society  Islands,  these  islanders  were  cannibals, 
warlike  and  savage.  The  devastation  of  con- 
stant warfare  among  them  is  well  illustrated 
by  a  record  made  by  Mr.  Williams.  His  first 
visit  to  Hervey  Island  was  in  1823,  when  he 
found  that  the  population  had  been  reduced 
by  frequent  and  exterminating  wars  to  sixty. 
Six  years  later  on  visiting  the  island  he  found 
that  constant  fighting  had  left  only  five  men, 
three  women,  and  a  few  children,  and  these 
still  contending  which  of  them  should  be  king. 

Return  of  John  Williams.  —  While  we  have 
been  looking  over  the  Hervey  Islands,  John 
Williams  has  been  getting  well  as  fast  as  ever 
he  can  in  Sydney,  and  meanwhile  laying  wise 
and  far-sighted  plans  for  the  mission.  He  saw 
that  it  would  be  a  great  thing  for  the  islands  to 
have  a  trading  vessel  that  should  take  their 
products  to  Australia  and  sell  them,  and  buy 
in  return  what  things  they  needed.  He  laid  the 
plan  before  the  directors  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  who  at  first  thought  it  a  danger- 
ous mixing  of  business  with  religion  (strange 
how  afraid  some  people  are  to  mix  those  two) ; 


EARLY  MISSIONS  49 

but  finally  they  yielded  to  his  wishes  and  bought 
him  a  schooner  called  the  Endeavor.  The 
natives,  with  true  poetry,  later  named  it  The 
Beginning.  He  loaded  the  boat  with  shoes  and 
clothing  and  tea,  and  nails  and  hammers  and 
other  tools;  engaged  a  man  who  knew  how  to 
teach  the  islanders  to  cultivate  sugar  and  to- 
bacco, put  aboard  sheep  and  cows,  presents 
from  the  Governor  of  New  South  Wales  to  the 
island  chiefs,  and  sailed  away.  When  he  came 
back  to  Raiatea,  King  Tamatoa  was  delighted 
with  the  new  ship  and  wrote  a  letter  of  thanks 
to  the  directors  of  the  London  Society. 

"A  ship  is  good,"  he  wrote,  "  for  by  this 
means  property  will  come  to  us  and  our  bodies 
be  covered  with  decent  cloth.  But  there  is  an- 
other use  of  the  ship:  When  we  compassionate 
the  little  islands  near  to  us,  and  desire  to  send 
two  among  us  to  those  lands  to  teach  them  the 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Removal  to  Raratonga.  —  During  the  follow- 
ing year,  1823,  John  Williams  removed  from  the 
Society  Islands  to  begin  his  permanent  and  per- 
sonal labors  in  the  Hervey  group,  and  it  came 
about  in  this  way.  He  had  left  teachers  in 
Aitutaki,  as  we  have  seen,  on  his  way  to  Aus- 
tralia. After  his  return  to  Raiatea,  they  sent 
begging  him  to  come  out  to  help  them  in  the 
new  work.  Accordingly  John  Williams,  whose 
eager  soul  was  always  reaching  out  into  the  un- 
opened regions,  set  sail  from  Raiatea  on  the  fourth 
of  July  with  six  native  teachers  to  begin  in  earnest 
the  evangelization  of  the  Hervey  Group.    During 


50  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

the  voyage  Mr.  Williams  prepared  a  series  of 
counsels  for  the  use,  of  these  native  helpers  that 
are  deeply  interesting  in  the  light  they  shed  on 
his  own  ideas  and  practice.  "Work  well  and 
pray  much.  .  .  .  Think  on  the  death  of  Jesus. 
.  .  .  Give  to  your  work  your  hands,  your 
mouths,  your  bodies,  your  souls,  and  God  bless 
your  labors !  In  temporal  concerns  be  diligent; 
a  lazy  missionary  is  both  an  ugly  and  a  useless 
being."  Reaching  Aitutaki  he  found  that  the 
good  work  had  taken  root  and  prospered  wonder- 
fully since  the  teachers  had  been  sent.  Here  he 
found  some  shipwrecked  natives  of  another 
island  of  the  Hervey  group,  Raratonga;  and 
this  he  determined  to  seek.  The  poor  ship- 
wrecked Raratongans  were  anxious  to  return 
with  him  to  their  own  land  to  tell  of  the  wonder- 
ful gospel  that  they  had  learned,  but  they  could 
not  guide  him,  for  they  had  lost  their  primitive 
reckoning  in  the  storm  that  had  blown  them  into 
unknown  seas.  Mr.  Williams  took  them  aboard 
with  a  native  Christian,  Papeiha,  who  was  a  true 
apostle  in  zeal  and  character,  and  with  thirty 
discarded  idols  given  him  by  the  people  of 
Aitutaki  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  his  vessel, 
set  sail  for  Raratonga.  After  touching  at  other 
islands  and  having  many  adventures  by  the 
way,  he  found  Raratonga.  The  search  for  the 
island  was,  in  a  small  way,  as  baffling  as  the 
search  of  Columbus;  and  just  as  every  one  but 
John  Williams  was  completely  discouraged  and 
ready  to  turn  back,  land  was  sighted.  The 
natives  of  Raratonga  received  them  pleasantly 


EARLY  MISSIONS  51 

enough,  but  in  the  night  so  shamefully  abused 
the  native  teachers  who  had  been  set  ashore, 
that  they  refused  to  be  left  in  so  terrible  a  spot. 
Then  Papeiha  came  nobly  to  the  front:  "  I  will 
stay,"  he  said;  "  I  am  not  afraid.  Whether  they 
spare  me  or  kill  me,  I  will  land  among  them. 
God  is  my  shepherd,  —  I  am  in  His  hand." 

And,  as  it  so  often  happens,  God  had  prepared 
the  ground  for  his  brave  servant.  A  woman 
who  had  been  to  far-away  Tahiti  had  returned 
telling  of  the  wonderful  changes  that  had  hap- 
pened there.  The  King  Makea  had  been  in- 
terested and  had  named  one  of  his  children 
Jehovah  and  another  Jesus  Christ,  and  was  dis- 
posed to  learn  more  of  the  strange  doctrine  from 
Papeiha. 

Return  to  Raiatea.  —  Mr.  Williams  left  Pa- 
peiha with  one  companion  in  dark  Raratonga 
and  himself  sailed  back  to  Raiatea.  Imagine 
the  picture  his  little  ship  must  have  made  when 
she  sailed  into  port  with  the  thirty-one  idols  taken 
from  Aitutaki  dangling  from  the  yard  arms.  A 
disappointment  waited  him  in  the  decision  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society  that  the  ship  was 
too  expensive,  and  not  spiritual  enough  to  be 
sustained  by  a  missionary  society.  Unwillingly 
and  against  his  own  sound  judgment  he  was 
compelled  to  sell.  "  Satan  knew  well,"  he  said, 
"that  this  ship  was  the  most  fatal  weapon  ever 
formed  against  his  interest  in  the  great  South 
Sea." 

Removal  to  Raratonga.  —  Meanwhile  Papeiha 
was  doing  a  great  work  in  Raratonga.    The  first 


52  CRBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

convert,  a  chief,  learned  to  pray  from  his  friend's 
lips.  As  poor  Papeiha,  worn  out  by  fatigue, 
dropped  off  to  sleep,  he  would  waken  him,  say- 
ing, "I  have  forgotten  it;  say  it  again,"  and  this 
many  times  during  the  night.  With  sturdy 
contempt  for  idols,  Papeiha  sawed  off  the  head 
of  the  most  powerful  in  Raratonga,  while  the 
people  waited  to  see  the  swift  vengeance  of  the 
god.  He  ate  food  that  was  tabu,  and  took  no 
harm.  In  less  than  a  year  he  had  broken  the 
terror  and  bondage  of  idolatry,  and  cleared  the 
way  for  the  acceptance  of  Christianity.  In  1827, 
Mr.  Williams  returned  to  the  island  of  Raratonga 
with  his  wife,  and  made  the  island  his  permanent 
residence.  With  characteristic  energy  his  first 
work  was  to  move  the  mission  to  the  other  side 
of  the  island  to  a  better  site.  He  preached  on 
Sunday  to  a  congregation  of  four  thousand,  and, 
finding  the  church  too  small,  built  one  six  hun- 
dred feet  long.  Here,  too,  he  constructed  his 
famous  ship,  the  Messenger  of  Peace,  a  very 
triumph  of  human  genius,  over  obstacles  well-nigh 
unsurmountable.  He  had  no  saw,  no  oakum,  no 
sailcloth,  no  nails.  Sails  he  wove  from  native 
mats,  and  ropes  he  twisted  from  the  tough  hibis- 
cus. Wooden  pins  did  for  nails,  and  the  rudder 
he  forged  out  of  a  piece  of  pickaxe,  a  cooper's 
adze,  and  a  large  hoe.  The  rude  bellows  made 
of  boxes  he  forced  to  work  somehow  while  he 
forged  the  anchor,  and  the  rude,  clumsy,  won- 
derful craft  he  finished  in  five  months  without 
tools  to  work  with  or  suitable  material  to  work. 
She  floated,  too,  and  minded  her  helm,  and  bore 


EARLY  MISSIONS  53 

him  obediently,  as  things  always  do  the  right 
sort  of  man,  wherever  he  chose  to  go.  He  chose 
first  to  voyage  with  King  Makea  to  Aitutaki, 
one  hundred  and  seventy  miles  away.  When  he 
returned  the  people  of  Raratonga  met  him  in  gala 
dress.  They  had  removed  too  the  rubbish  from 
the  building  of  the  ship,  had  planted  shrubs,  and 
strewed  clean,  white  coral.  "We  will  not  leave 
a  chip  against  which  he  shall  strike  his  feet," 
they  said. 

Trials  on  Raratonga. — The  privations  of  these 
first  missionaries  in  Raratonga  were  many  and 
severe.  The  island,  though  very  beautiful,  was 
not  so  fertile  as  Raiatea,  and  often  there  was 
little  food.  "  I  have  seen  my  wife,"  says  Mr. 
Williams,  "  sit  down  at  table  and  burst  into 
tears,  at  having  nothing  to  eat,  week  after  week, 
month  after  month,  but  some  native  roots."  For 
ten  years  they  did  not  taste  beef,  and  then  they 
had  lost  their  taste  for  it.  Sometimes  for  months 
running  into  years  no  vessel  called,  and  their 
clothing  was  worn  out,  their  tools  and  necessary 
supplies  gone.  Frequent  illnesses  from  malaria 
and  insufficient  food  sapped  the  strength  and 
tried  the  courage  of  the  heroic  little  band  of 
workers;  but  they  held  out,  and  the  work 
triumphed  gloriously. 

Triumphs  in  Raratonga.  —  The  people  were 
gathered  into  churches,  the  children- into  schools, 
new  methods  of  agriculture,  new  products,  and 
new  industries  were  introduced.  Mr.  Williams 
himself  said,  "  When  I  found  them  (the  people 
of  Raratonga)  in  1823,  they  were  ignorant  of  the 


54  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

nature  of  Christian  worship;  when  I  left  them 
in  1834  I  am  not  aware  that  there  was  a  house 
in  the  island  where  family  prayer  was  not  ob- 
served morning  and  evening." 

In  1888  Rev.  W.  Wyatt  Gill  made  a  statement 
of  the  work  in  the  Hervey  Islands  as  he  had 
known  it  since  1851.  He  contrasted  the  former 
condition  of  the  islands  with  that  under  Chris- 
tianity, and  stated  that  sixty  members  of  his 
own  church  had  been  killed  while  acting  as  mis- 
sionaries to  heathen  tribes. 

In  1853,  James  M.  Alexander,  in  company  with 
Mr.  Lyman  of  Hawaii,  visited  Raratonga,  Aitu- 
taki,  and  other  Hervey  Islands.  He  tells  that  at 
Aitutaki  there  was  a  massive  coral  pier  six  hun- 
dred feet  long,  constructed  by  the  natives  in  1826. 
A  beautiful  church  of  hewn  coral,  substantial 
native  houses  of  the  same  material,  and  a  con- 
tinuous garden  of  breadfruit,  orange,  banana 
and  cocoanut  palms,  he  noted  as  features  of  the 
islands.  Raratonga  was  even  more  beautiful, 
the  well-tended  plantations  continuous,  and  the 
natives  fine-looking,  courteous  people. 

A  correspondent  of  a  newspaper  in  Auckland 
testifies  that  "  The  Raratongans  are  the  most 
advanced  of  all  the  South  Sea  Islanders  in 
European  Industrial  Civilization.  They  have 
become  efficient  artisans  and  mechanics;  they 
build  houses  after  the  colonial  type,  also  wagons 
and  boats;  they  work  extensive  plantations,  and 
cotton  gins.  They  cultivate  largely  oranges  and 
limes;  of  the  former  they  export  millions;  from 
the  limes  they  express  the  juice  and  ship  it  in 


EARLY  MISSIONS  55 

small  barrels,  some  two  thousand  gallons  yearly 
being  sent  from  the  island.  They  also  export 
cotton,  coffee,  bananas,  arrow-root,  and  copra. 
They  thrive  and  are  happy  because  free  and  un- 
oppressed,  and  at  liberty  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
their  labors." 

An  instance  of  the  benevolence  of  the  natives 
of  Mangaia  illustrates  the  Christian  character  of 
the  people.  In  1892,  after  paying  for  their  own 
school  and  church  expenses,  the  people  of 
Mangaia  numbering  about  nineteen  hundred 
contributed  for  general  missionary  purposes  to 
the  treasury  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
$1700.  In  1889  a  British  Protectorate  was  es- 
tablished over  these  islands  upon  the  invitation 
of  the  chiefs  and  people. 

"I  am  engaged  in  the  best  of  services,  for  the  best 
of  Masters,  and  upon  the  best  of  terms." 

—  John  Williams. 

"  O  Jehovah,  give  Thy  word  in  my  heart  —  all 
thy  word  —  and  cover  it  up  there  that  it  may  not  be 
forgotten  by  me."  —  Native  Convert. 

"  While  it  is  day  I  must  be  about  my  Master's  busi- 
ness ;  and  he  who  helps  me  onward  is  twice  my  friend." 

—  John  Williams. 


56  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


SUGGESTIONS,  TOPICS,  AND  QUESTIONS 

Many  biographical  sketches  may  be  prepared  in 
connection  with  this  chapter.  The  career  of  Captain 
Wilson  will  delight  boys.  —  "From  Island  to  Island," 
published  by  the  London  Missionary  Society  Company, 
contains  a  good  brief  sketch.  John  Williams's  own 
life  is  an  epic  in  itself.  —  A  model  of  the  Duff  could 
be  made  from  old  prints,  or  a  copy  of  her  missionary 
flag. 

Describe  a  voyage  from  the  Society  to  the  Hervey, 
Astral,  and  Pearl  Islands,  contrasting  their  character- 
istics, products,  and  appearance. 

Make  a  brief  study  of  the  Polynesian  languages, 
noting  their  marked  similarities  as  showing  common 
origin. 

What  characteristics  of  the  Polynesians  are  most 
admirable  ?    What  is  the  chief  racial  weakness  ? 

In  History  of  London  Missionary  Society  find  de- 
scription of  the  Museum  in  which  are  preserved  these 
early  trophies  of  heathenism   in  the   Pacific   Islands. 

What  were  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  native 
religion  ? 

Tell  the  story  of  John  Williams's  shipbuilding. 
Map  of  the  Society  and  Hervey  Islands. 


CHAPTER   II 

SAMOA,    TONGA,    MICRONESIA 
SAMOA 

The  Islands.  —  It  was  in  July,  1830,  that  the 
indefatigable  John  Williams,  in  his  rude  Messen- 
ger of  Peace,  dared  to  cross  the  eighteen  hundred 
miles  of  sea  that  lay  between  the  Hervey  and  the 
Samoan  Islands.  These  islands,  like  almost 
everything  else  in  the  South  Seas,  had  been  dis- 
covered by  Captain  Cook,  and  named  by  him 
the  Navigator  Islands.  The  group  consists  of 
thirteen  islands,  only  four  of  which  are  of  any 
importance.  Manua,  the  most  easterly,  is  about 
sixteen  miles  in  circumference,  fertile  and  beau- 
tiful, rising  twenty-five  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea.  Sixty  miles  to  the  west  is  Tutuila,  the 
island  now  ceded  to  the  United  States.  It 
is  seventeen  miles  long,  five  miles  wide,  and 
cut  almost  in  two  by  the  splendid  harbor 
Pago  Pago.  To  the  Northwest,  thirty-six 
miles,  lies  Upolu,  an  island  forty  miles  long 
and  fourteen  broad,  which  contains  Apia,  the 
principal  town  of  the  group.  Twelve  miles  to 
the  west  of  Upolu  lies  Savaii,  the  largest  and 
most  mountainous  island  of  the  group.  It 
measures  forty  by  twenty  miles  and  rises  to  a 
height  of  four  thousand  feet. 

First  Visit  of  John  Williams.  —  On  his  way  to 

57 


68  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

the  Samoan  Islands,  John  Williams  turned  aside 
to  visit  the  Tonga  group,  and  there  took  aboard 
a  Samoan  chief  who  had  been  absent  from  home 
about  eleven  years.  He  had  a  Christian  wife, 
and  was  willing  to  assist  them  in  the  work  in 
Samoa.  After  seven  days  of  violent  storm,  the 
Messenger  of  Peace  came  to  Savaii,  the  largest 
island  of  the  group.  The  people  had  rarely 
seen  any  one  from  the  outside  world,  and  they 
gathered  with  great  curiosity  to  see  the  white 
missionaries.  They  wondered  while  Fanea,  the 
exiled  Samoan  chief,  explained  to  them  about  the 
superior  beings  who  had  come  to  them.  Finally 
they  took  the  missionaries  on  their  shoulders  and 
carried  them  by  the  light  of  torches  to  their 
king.  He  gave  them  a  royal  welcome,  and 
told  them  of  the  prophecy  made  by  a  terrible 
old  war  chieftain  who  had  recently  died  that  a 
great  chief  should  come  from  beyond  the  distant 
horizon  who  should  overthrow  their  religion. 

Overthrow  of  Paganism.  —  The  overthrow  of 
Paganism  in  the  Samoan  Islands  was  attended 
by  no  such  tragic  incidents  as  occurred  in  other 
islands.  Soon  after  Mr.  Williams  sailed  away 
leaving  Fanea  and  the  Raratongan  teachers  to 
impart  the  new  doctrine  to  the  Samoans,  the 
King  Malietoa  was  induced  to  renounce  idolatry. 
He  cannily  told  his  family  to  wait  six  weeks  and 
see  the  result  before  following  his  example. 
His  sons  waited  three  weeks,  and  then  seeing 
their  father's  immunity  from  the  anger  of  the 
insulted  gods,  they  gathered  their  horrified  friends 
together,  and  in  their  presence  ate  the  sacred  fish 


SAMOA,   TONGA,  MICRONESIA  59 

called  anae  (mullet),  in  which  their  tutelary  gods 
were  supposed  to  dwell.  Seeing  is  believing, 
and  when  the  wondering  natives  saw  the  young 
men  unscathed  after  this  impious  act,  they  all 
felt  the  bonds  of  the  old  slavish  superstition 
loosening.  A  great  meeting  was  called.  The 
chief  war  god,  an  incredibly  sacred  bit  of 
matting,  dropping  to  pieces  with  age,  was 
sentenced  to  be  drowned  in  the  depths  of  the 
sea ;  but  on  request  of  the  teachers  it  was  pre- 
served to  give  to  Mr.  Williams  on  his  return.  It 
was  later  sent  by  him  to  the  Museum  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  where  it  still  remains. 

Return  of  Mr.  Williams.  —  It  was  two  years 
before  John  Williams  could  again  visit  the 
Samoan  Islands,  and  this  time  he  determined 
to  visit  every  island  in  the  group.  He  took  with 
him  Makea,  king  of  Raratonga,  and  after  a 
prosperous  voyage  reached  Manua,  the  most 
easterly  island.  Here,  to  his  delighted  surprise, 
he  found  that  seed,  chance-sown  by  storm-driven 
Tahitians,  had  taken  root,  and  that  already 
there  were  many  on  this  island  proclaiming 
themselves  "people  of  the  word."  At  the  next 
island,  Tutuila,  Mr.  Williams  hesitated  to  land, 
because  he  knew  that  here  a  boat's  crew  had 
been  massacred  not  long  before.  But  the  chief 
waded  out  to  the  boat  and  begged  him  to  come 
on  shore,  saying  that  he  and  his  people  had  be- 
come Christians  through  some  teachers  left  by  a 
great  white  chief  on  the  island  of  Savaii.  When 
he  learned  that  the  "  great  white  chief"  stood  be- 
fore him,  the  chief  gave  a  signal,  and  his  people 


60  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

seized  the  boat  in  which  Mr.  Williams  sat  and 
carried  it  to  the  shore  on  their  shoulders.  Here 
he  found  a  chapel  built,  and  people  regularly 
worshipping.  The  chief  explained  his  method 
of  introducing  Christianity.  "I  go  regularly  to 
Savaii  to  the  teachers  there  to  get  some  religion, 
which  I  bring  carefully  home  and  give  to  my 
people.  When  that  is  gone  I  take  my  canoe 
again  and  fetch  some  more.  Give  me  a  man 
full  of  religion  that  I  may  not  need  to  go  such  a 
distance  to  fetch  it." 

In  Upolu,  also,  Christian  believers  were  found, 
and  arriving  at  last  at  Savaii,  he  found  the  teachers 
whom  he  had  left  two  years  before  and  was  joy- 
fully welcomed  by  the  entire  people.  A  thousand 
persons  gathered  to  hear  him  preach,  and  King 
Malietoa  said  publicly :  "  My  heart  is  single  in  its 
purpose  to  know  Jehovah.  My  whole  soul  shall 
be  given  to  the  word  of  Jehovah,  and  I  will  use 
my  utmost  endeavors  that  the  word  of  Jehovah 
shall  encircle  the  land."  After  instructing  the 
teachers  and  writing  some  hymns  for  the  use  of 
the  people,  and  settling  a  dispute  that  threatened 
war  between  Malietoa  and  a  neighboring  chief, 
Mr.  Williams  began  his  return  voyage.  He  re- 
counts that  the  people  with  whom  Malietoa  was 
likely  to  be  involved  in  war  had  a  basket  in 
which  they  had  kept  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  stones,  each  stone  recording  a  war. 

Further  Progress  of  Christianity.  —  In  1835 
the  London  Missionary  Society  sent  out  six  mis- 
sionaries and  their  wives  to  the  Samoan  Islands. 
The  Bible  was  translated,  schools  were  estab- 


SAMOA,    TONGA,    MICRONESIA  61 

lished,  including  a  training  school  for  native 
pastors,  and  the  entire  population  embraced 
Christianity.  The  newly  Christianized  islands 
were  most  eager  to  spread  the  truth,  and  sent 
their  own  men  as  missionaries  to  the  New 
Hebrides  and  other  islands.  Among  the  schools 
established,  one  of  the  most  important  is  the 
boarding  school  at  Malua.  In  1844  Rev. 
Charles  Hardie  with  Rev.  G.  Turner,  who  had 
fled  for  his  life  the  previous  year  from  Tanna  in 
the  New  Hebrides,  bought  three  hundred  acres 
of  wild  land  at  Malua  in  the  island  of  Upolu. 
Here  they  purposed  to  build  up  a  self-sustaining 
boarding  school  for  the  higher  education  of  the 
natives.  A  hundred  students  were  gathered  to- 
gether, land  was  cleared  by  their  labor,  and 
planted  with  thousands  of  breadfruit,  cocoanut 
trees,  bananas,  yams,  taro,  maize,  and  sugar- 
cane. Buildings  were  erected  by  the  students, 
who  tilled  the  land,  caught  fish,  and  learned 
useful  trades.  They  thus  supplied  all  their 
wants,  and  carried  on  the  school  without  expense 
to  the  London  Missionary  Society.  In  this  school 
two  thousand  teachers,  preachers,  and  mis- 
sionaries have  been  trained.  Besides  this  school 
there  is  a  Normal  Training  School  for  women 
and  a  central  boarding  school  for  girls. 

Political  Troubles.  —  If  only  the  poor  Samoans 
could  have  been  left  in  peace  to  the  quiet  process 
of  development  under  the  care  of  their  mis- 
sionary teachers,  they  might  well  have  been  the 
rich  Samoans,  the  prosperous  and  happy  Sa- 
moans.   The  beginning  of  their  trouble  was  the 


62  CHEISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

land  question,  as  it  so  often  is.  Unscrupulous 
German  traders  bought  up  for  a  song  from  un- 
suspecting natives  rich  alluvial  lands,  until  they 
had  gradually  come  to  monopolize  the  best  land 
in  the  islands,  and  had  dispossessed  the  natives, 
and  deprived  them  of  the  chance  to  earn  a 
living.  Disputes  between  the  natives  and  the 
traders  followed,  and  much  evil  and  suffering. 
To  put  an  end  to  the  incessant  disputes,  in  1879 
Germany,  England,  and  the  United  States  entered 
into  joint  agreement  to  have  a  board  of  control 
at  Apia,  the  emporium  of  Samoa,  consisting  of 
the  three  consuls  and  three  persons  nominated 
by  them. 

Enter  Germany.  —  Perhaps  the  mutual  jeal- 
ousies of  these  three  Christian  Powers  (!) 
might  have  resulted  in  a  more  or  less  decent 
respect  for  the  real  though  dispossessed  owners 
of  the  land  had  not  the  German  policy  of 
aggrandizement  led  to  a  deep-laid  plot  on  the 
part  of  her  representative  to  get  possession  of 
these  islands.  The  story  of  what  followed  is  a 
lasting  blot  on  the  honor  of  Germany.  .  Accord- 
ing to  the  old  Samoan  usage,  a  chief,  Laupepa, 
had  been  declared  by  the  Samoan  senate  of 
chieftains  king,  with  the  title  of  Malietoa,  and 
the  two  rival  chieftains,  Tamasese  and  Mataafe. 
had  been  made  vice-kings.  On  trumped-up 
charges  the  German  firm,  under  the  lead  of  Mr. 
Weber,  made  a  stand  against  King  Malietoa,  the 
lawfully  elected  king.  He  had  spoken  disre- 
spectfully against  the  German  nation,  it  seemed, 
there  was  a  little  bill  of  $12,000  due  for 


SAMOA,   TONGA,   MICRONESIA  63 

cocoanuts  stolen  from  German  plantations  by 
starving  natives.  The  king  was  expelled  from 
his  residence,  and  five  German  warships  brought 
in  to  accentuate  the  situation.  Malietoa,  who  was 
of  a  peaceable  disposition,  trusted  the  promises 
of  the  American  and  English  consuls  that  they 
would  see  his  rights  restored,  and  retired  to  the 
forests.  When  they  did  nothing  to  redeem  these 
promises,  in  order  to  protect  his  poor  people 
from  outrage,  he  delivered  himself  up  to  the 
German  authorities,  and  after  heart-breaking 
farewells  to  his  people,  was  taken  away  on  the 
warship  to  Australia,  to  Germany,  and  at  last  to 
a  low  lagoon  island  of  the  Marshall  group,  and 
there  confined  like  a  common  convict  on  coarse 
and  scanty  fare.  Of  course  battles  were  fought 
by  the  rival  vice-kings  after  his  deportation,  and 
in  the  disorder,  twenty  German  marines  were 
killed  and  thirty  wounded.  To  salve  her 
wounded  "  honor  "  Germany  now  declared  war 
against  these  terrible  Samoans,  suppressed  the 
English  newspaper  in  Apia,  imprisoned  English 
and  American  residents,  and  bombarded  native 
villages. 

Enter  the  Hurricane.  —  Minister  Pendelton 
notified  the  German  government  "  that  the 
United  States  expected  that  nothing  would  be 
done  to  impair  their  rights  under  the  existing 
treaty  with  Samoa."  Thereupon  Count  Bis- 
marck telegraphed  to  the  German  consul  at  Apia 
that  "annexation  was  impracticable  on  account 
of  diplomatic  agreement  with  England  and  the 
United  States."     But  while  the  great  nations 


64  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

squabbled,  a  factor  entered  into  the  dispute  that 
the  simple  natives  attributed  to  the  wrath  of 
God  because  of  their  oppression  and  sufferings. 
One  of  the  terrible  hurricanes  of  the  South  Seas 
swept  over  the  island  harbor  where  the  warships 
of  the  three  great  Powers  lay  keeping  ominous 
watch.  Spite  of  the  warnings  of  those  familiar 
with  the  region,  the  warships  remained  in  harbor 
when  the  north  wind  began  to  blow,  although 
their  only  hope  at  such  a  time  was  to  put  out  to 
sea  and  take  shelter  in  the  lea  of  the  islands. 
When  the  awful  fury  of  the  storm  drove  the 
ships  helplessly  upon  the  rocks,  the  Samoans 
heroically  rescued  those  who  had  been  fighting 
them.  The  courage,  the  horrors,  the  appalling 
losses  of  the  storm,  fixed  the  thought  of  the  world 
upon  those  islands.  A  conference  of  the  three 
Powers  was  held  at  Berlin.  Germany  agreed  to 
bring  back  King  Malietoa  and  reinstate  him  as 
king,  and  all  promised  to  respect  the  autonomy 
of  Samoa. 

Further  Troubles.  —  It  would  seem  that  by 
this  tardy  reparation  the  troubles  of  the  Samoans 
were  at  an  end.  Far  from  it.  A  land  com- 
mission must  be  appointed,  to  decide  just  how 
far  the  grabs  of  the  land  grabbers  were  legal  and 
therefore  right.  The  expense  of  this  land  com- 
mission, $15,000  a  year,  was  to  be  met,  not  by 
the  Powers  who  imposed  it  upon  Samoa,  but  by 
the  natives.  A  chief  judge  was  appointed,  pre- 
sumably to  see  that  none  of  the  wily  natives 
cheated  the  poor  German,  English,  and  Yankee 
traders,  —  salary    $6000.    A   president   of   the 


SAMOA,   TONGA,   MICRONESIA  65 

Municipal  Council  was  further  saddled  upon 
the  people  at  a  salary  of  $5000,  and  to  King 
Malietoa  was  assigned  a  salary  of  $1000,  to  be 
paid  after  all  the  others  had  been  provided  for. 
And  still  those  wretched  Samoans  were  not  satis- 
fied !  They  had  never  heard  of  paying  a  capita- 
tion tax  of  $1  for  each  man,  woman,  and  child, 
and  they  did  not  see  why  they  should  begin  now. 
A  sad  story  of  revolt,  guerilla  warfare,  and 
banishment  of  chiefs  followed.  Judge  Ide  of 
Vermont,  when  sent  out  as  Chief  Justice,  began 
his  career  by  inviting  seventeen  chiefs  to  a 
friendly  conference.  When  they  did  not  agree 
with  him  fully,  he  tactfully  persuaded  them  by 
clapping  them  into  prison  and  putting  them  to 
work  with  common  convicts  on  the  road  because 
they  refused  to  pay  their  capitation  tax.  What 
wonder  that  the  people  flew  to  arms  to  avenge 
the  insult  to  their  chiefs  and  their  whole  nation  ! 
Internal  dissensions,  warfare,  and  misunder- 
standing continued  to  mark  the  story  of  poor, 
much-governed,  and  overprotected  Samoa,  until 
in  1898  King  Malietoa  died.  The  three  great 
Powers  decided  to  solve  any  difficulty  that 
was  liable  to  arise  over  the  succession  by  abolish- 
ing the  kingship  altogether.  How  well  the  Sa- 
moans were  pleased  with  this  neat  and  easy 
method  of  solving  their  difficulties  does  not 
appear,  and  perhaps  ought  not  to  be  too  curiously 
inquired  into.  In  1899  there  was  a  further 
agreement  between  Great  Britain  and  Germany, 
ratified  by  the  United  States.  Great  Britain  re- 
nounced all  rights  to  the  islands  in  favor  of 


66  CIIBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

Germany,  as  regards  Savaii  and  Upolu,  and  in 
favor  of  the  United  States  as  regards  Tutuila 
and  the  other  small  islands.  By  this  arrange- 
ment Germany  gained  control  of  the  largest 
islands  with  a  combined  population  of  thirty- 
two  thousand;  the  United  States,  of  Tutuila  and 
the  small  islands,  with  a  population  of  four  thou- 
sand. The  harbor  of  Pago  Pago,  however,  the 
only  fine  harbor  in  the  Samoan  Islands,  and  one 
of  the  best  in  the  Pacific,  was  supposed  to  con- 
sole the  United  States  for  its  small  apportion- 
ment. For  six  years,  now,  the  large  proportion 
of  Samoan  natives  have  been  under  German 
government.  It  seems  too  bad  that  these 
people,  Christianized  by  English  and  American 
heroism  and  sacrifice,  could  not  have  remained 
permanently  under  English  and  American  in- 
fluence. Far-sighted  statesmanship  in  either 
country  could  easily  have  brought  about  the 
peaceable  cession  of  the  islands  before  the 
demoralizing  and  cruel  struggles  of  the  last 
thirty  years  began. 

Present  Conditions  of  the  Islands.  —  The  whole 
population  of  the  Samoan  Islands  is  now  Chris- 
tian. There  is  probably  no  community  in 
America  where  family  prayers  are  as  generally 
observed  as  in  Samoa.  The  people  are  eager 
for  the  education  of  their  children,  give  liberally 
to  the  support  of  their  churches,  and  send  out 
their  own  missionaries  to  New  Guinea  and 
Micronesia.  The  attractive  aspects  of  their 
simple,  patriarchal  mode  of  life  are  charming 
as  set  forth  by  Robert  Louis  Stevenson. 


SAMOA,    TONGA,   MICRONESIA  67 


STEVENSON  ON  THE  SAMOANS 

"They  are  Christians,  church-goers,  singers  o\. 
hymns  at  family  worship,  hardy  cricketers;  their 
books  are  printed  in  London  by  Spottiswode,  Triibner, 
or  the  Tract  Society ;  but  in  most  other  points  they  are 
the  contemporaries  of  our  tattooed  ancestors  who  drove 
their  chariots  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  Roman  Wall. 
We  have  passed  the  feudal  system ;  they  are  not  yet 
clear  of  the  patriarchal.  We  are  in  the  thick  of  the 
age  of  finance ;  they  are  in  a  period  of  communism. 

"  To  us,  with  our  feudal  ideas,  Samoa  has  the  first 
appearance  of  a  land  of  despotism.  An  elaborate 
courtliness  marks  the  race  alone  among  Polynesians; 
terms  of  ceremony  fly  thick  as  oaths  on  board  a  ship ; 
commoners  my-lord  each  other  when  they  meet  — 
and  urchins  when  they  play  marbles.  And  for  the 
real  noble  a  whole  private  dialect  is  set  apart.  The 
common  names  for  an  axe,  for  blood,  for  bamboo,  a 
bamboo  knife,  a  pig,  food,  entrails,  and  an  oven 
are  tabu  in  his  presence,  as  the  common  names  for 
a  bug  and  for  many  offices  and  members  of  the  body 
are  tabu  in  the  drawing-rooms  of  English  ladies. 
Special  words  are  set  aside  for  his  leg,  his  hair,  his 
face,  his  belly,  his  eyelids,  his  son,  his  daughter,  his 
wife,  his  wife's  pregnancy,  his  wife's  adultery,  his  dwell- 
ing, his  spear,  his  comb,  his  sleep,  his  anger,  his  dreams, 
his  pleasure  in  eating,  his  cough,  his  sickness,  his  re- 
covery, his  death,  his  being  carried  on  a  bier,  the 
exhumation  of  his  bones  and  his  skull  after  death.  To 
address  these  demigods  is  quite  a  branch  of  knowledge, 
and  he  who  goes  to  visit  a  high  chief  does  well  to  make 
sure  of  the  competence  of  his  interpreter. 

"  They  are  easy,  merry,  and  pleasure-loving ;  the  gay- 
est, though  by  far  from  either  the  most  capable  or  the 
most  beautiful,  of  Polynesians.  Fine  dress  is  a  passion, 
and  makes  a  Samoan  festival  a  thing  of  beauty.  Song 
is  almost  ceaseless.  The  boatman  sings  at  the  oar, 
the  family  at  evening  worship,  the  girls  at  night  in  the 


68  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

guest  house,  sometimes  the  workman  at  his  toil.  No 
occasion  is  too  small  for  the  poets  and  musicians; 
a  death,  a  visit,  the  day's  news,  the  day's  pleasantry, 
will  be  set  to  rhyme  and  harmony.  .  .  .  Song,  as 
with  all  Pacific  islanders,  goes  hand  in  hand  with  the 
dance,  and  both  shade  into  the  drama.  Some  of  the 
performances  are  indecent  and  ugly,  some  only  dull; 
others  are  pretty,  funny,  and  attractive.  Games  are 
popular.  Cricket  matches,  where  a  hundred  played 
upon  a  side,  endured  at  times  for  weeks,  and  ate 
up  the  country  like  the  presence  of  an  army.  Fishing, 
the  daily  bath,  flirtation  ;  courtship,  which  is  gone  upon 
by  proxy ;  conversation,  which  is  largely  political ;  and 
the  delights  of  oratory,  fill  in  the  long  hours." 

—  Robert  Louis   Stevenson,  "  Eight  Years  of 

Trouble  in  Samoa,"  Chapter  I. 

"Those  who  have  a  taste  for  hearing  missions, 
Catholic  or  Protestant,  decried,  must  seek  their  pleasure 
elsewhere  than  in  my  pages.  Whether  Catholic  or 
Protestant,  with  all  their  gross  blots,  with  all  their 
deficiency  of  candor,  of  humor,  and  of  common  sense, 
the  missionaries  are  the  best  and  most  useful  whites 
in  the  Pacific." 

—  Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  "  The  South  Seas," 

Chapter  X. 

Physiological  Changes  due  to  Civilization 

"  The  progress  of  the  natives,  though  undoubtedly 
great  and  wonderful  for  the  length  of  time  they  have 
been  under  the  influence  of  civilization,  is  as  yet  so 
limited  that  the  closest  and  most  continuous  obser- 
vations and  comparisons  are  required  to  mark  the 
results  in  physical  and  psychological  investigations. 
Nevertheless  ...  I  have  been  able  by  assiduous 
observations  and  minute  comparisons  to  detect  and 
to  trace  certain  changes  in  the  physical  peculiarities 
and  mental  development  of  these  islanders  {i.e.  the 
Fijians  and  Samoans). 


SAMOA,    TONGA,   MICRONESIA  69 

"  Natives  born  since  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
and  reared  under  the  immediate  influence  of  the  teach- 
ings of  the  missionaries  and  of  the  incipient  civiliza- 
tion which  has  resulted  from  intercourse  with  traders 
have  more  fully  developed  foreheads  and  cranial 
capacity  than  natives  born  and  reared  under  the  old 
influences  and  associations.  Take  a  Samoan  born 
under  the  improved  associations  educated  at  the 
missionary  institution  at  Malua,  where  mental  develop- 
ment is  facilitated  .  .  .  and  where  his  energies  are 
further  stimulated  by  competition  and  contrast  with 
others,  —  compare  his  skull  with  the  skull  of  a  Samoan 
born  and  reared  under  the  old  associations  and  in- 
fluences;  an  incipient  difference  is  just  perceptible. 

"  Take  a  group  of  natives  born  and  reared  under  the 
old  associations  and  a  group  of  natives  born  and  reared 
under  the  immediate  force  of  the  associations  and  influ- 
ences introduced  by  civilization  and  systematic  mental 
culture.  A  close  comparison  and  a  minute  observation 
show  that  the  mouth  is  somewhat  smaller,  the  lips 
somewhat  thinner,  the  head  somewhat  larger  in  the 
latter  than  in  the  former;  the  outline  of  the  features 
and  the  physical  aspect  generally  are  improved." 

—  W.  T.  Pritchard,  H.  M.  Consul  at  Samoa  and 
Fiji. 

THE  TONGA  OR  FRIENDLY  ISLANDS 

Situation ;  Size.  —  The  Tonga  or  Friendly 
Islands  lie  a  little  south  of  the  Fiji  Islands  and 
east  about  three  hundred  miles.  They  consist  of 
thirty  islands  and  more  than  one  hundred  coral 
islets.  The  collective  area  is  three  hundred  and 
ninety  square  miles.  In  the  Vauvau  group  (the 
most  beautiful  of  the  Tongas)  there  are  several 
volcanic  peaks  from  two  thousand  to  five  thou- 
sand feet  high;  but  most  of  the  islands  are  low, 


70  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

attractive  only  from  the  richness  of  their  verdure 
and  the  fertility  of  the  soil. 

The  Natives.  —  The  natives  share  with  the 
Samoans  and  Marquesans  the  distinction  of 
being  the  finest  race  of  men  in  the  Pacific 
islands.  The  average  height  of  the  men  is 
5  feet  9.92  inches.  They  are  well  formed, 
graceful,  with  beautiful  eyes  and  pleasing 
features.  Like  other  island  races  they  were 
sunk  in  superstition  and  cruel  savagery  when 
missionary  work  was  begun  in  1797  by  the  first 
company  of  missionaries  to  the  Pacific.  Three 
of  these  were  killed,  and  the  others  after  years 
of  struggle  with  no  success  were  compelled 
to  go  to  New  South  Wales.  For  twenty  years 
the  mission  was  abandoned,  and  then  renewed 
by  the  English  Wesleyans,  who  sent  out  Revs. 
John  Thomas,  John  Hutchins,  Nathaniel  Turner, 
William  Cross,  and  Mr.  Weiss. 

King  George.  —  These  missionaries  found  in 
Tongatabu  two  native  teachers  from  Tahiti, 
who  had  already  gathered  a  congregation. 
The  first  impetus  given  to  the  work  was  by 
the  action  of  one  of  the  chiefs.  King  George 
of  Haabai  (not  to  give  him  his  native  name, 
Taufaahau)  was  a  fierce  savage  who  knew 
little  or  nothing  about  Christianity;  but  on 
visiting  the  new  station  he  became  really  im- 
pressed with  the  folly  of  idol  worship.  Being  a 
man  of  decision  he  returned  home,  and  with  a 
grim  humor  took  down  all  the  tribal  idols  from 
their  positions  of  honor,  and  hung  them  in  a 
row  to  dangle  helpless  from  his  ceiling.     His 


SAMOA,    TONGA,   MICRONESIA  71 

people  looked  in  horror  to  see  the  swift  vengeance 
of  the  gods;  and  when  it  came  not,  stirred  un- 
easily in  their  cramping  bonds  of  superstition. 
Not  satisfied  with  destroying  his  own  idols,  King 
George  paid  a  visit  to  Chief  Finau  on  Vauvau 
to  urge  him  to  like  measures.  Finau  made  a 
big  bonfire  and  brought  out  all  his  gods. 
"  Now,"  said  he,  "  if  you  are  any  good,  you 
can  save  yourselves  by  running  away."  Then 
taking  up  each  image  he  said,  "  Run,  or  be 
burned!"  When  none  of  them  ran,  he  left 
them  to  burn,  and  believed  in  them  no  more. 
Three  or  four  years  after  a  wonderful  revival 
began  on  Vauvau,  in  which  King  George  was 
converted.  He  built  a  great  church,  bought 
a  printing  press,  built  schools,  established  a 
new  code  of  laws.  In  time  George  became 
ruler  of  all  the  islands,  and  a  good  king,  too. 
When  an  English  warship  stopped  at  the  islands 
a  few  years  ago,  King  George  went  out  to  meet 
it  in  his  royal  canoe.  When  he  left,  the 
commander  exclaimed :  "  He  is  every  inch  a 
king !  Give  him  twenty-one  guns !  "  —  a  royal 
salute.  The  king  was  6  feet  4  inches  in 
height,  well  formed,  athletic,  with  a  trustworthy 
face  and  the  bearing  of  a  gentleman. 

Results.  —  The  Tonga  Islands  have  fortu- 
nately been  far  out  of  the  ordinary  routes  of 
travel,  and  the  result  of  missionary  work  has 
been  freer  from  evil  outside  influences  than  in  the 
more  frequented  islands.  In  1870  it  was  con- 
fidently asserted  that  there  was  no  heathenism  re- 
maining in  the  islands.  A  regular  government  has 


72  CHEISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

been  formed,  common  schools  and  a  high  school 
established,  and  a  training  school  for  the  ministry. 
From  this  institution  hundreds  of  preachers 
have  gone  out  to  their  own  and  to  distant  pagan 
groups.  The  mission  is  entirely  self-supporting, 
and  besides  a  large  contributor  to  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,  —  $15,000  in  one  year,  it  is 
said.  In  1899  a  British  Protectorate  was  pro- 
claimed. The  population  of  twenty  odd  thou- 
sand is  almost  entirely  native.  Contrary  to 
the  experience  in  less  fortunate  inland  groups, 
the  native  population  is  sturdy  and  increasing 
in  numbers  and  in  wealth. 

MICRONESIA 

Micronesia,  the  little  islands,  lies  along  the 
equator,  and  is  divided  into  four  groups:  the 
Gilbert,  Marshall,  Caroline,  and  Marianas, 
formerly  called  the  Mariana  Ladrone  Islands. 
This  last-named  group  was  long  a  Spanish  penal 
colony,  and  in  it  the  native  race  is  in  process  of 
rapid  extinction.  Since  1899  the  Ladrones  or 
Mariana  Islands  have  belonged  to  Germany.  The 
estimated  native  population  of  the  Ladrones  is 
less  than  twelve  thousand. 

The  Micronesian  Islands  belong  to  the  great 
coral  belt,  forming  part  of  the  Caroline  Archi- 
pelago which  extends  two  thousand  miles  from 
east  to  west.  In  this  great  expanse  of  sea  are 
scattered  the  islands  that  look  so  neighborly 
on  the  map,  but  are  really  isolated  by  wide 
stretches  of  water.  Some  of  the  atolls  are 
low  reefs  projecting  a  few  feet  above  the  high- 


SAMOA,   TONGA,  MICRONESIA  73 

water  mark,  and  enclosing  within  their  protec- 
tion smooth  lagoons  that  are  sometimes  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  in  length  and  half  as  broad. 
Over  these  little  islands  perpetual  summer 
broods. 

The  people  of  Micronesia  are  a  mixed  race,  it 
is  thought.  The  preponderating  element  Poly- 
nesian, with  Japanese  and  Papuan  elements 
added.  This  mixture  of  races  occurs  slightly 
if  at  all  in  the  Gilbert  and  Marshall  groups,  but 
becomes  more  apparent  in  language  and  physique 
in  the  Caroline  and  Mortlock  Islands.  For  ages 
the  people  lived  secluded  from  the  rest  of  man- 
kind on  these  gardens  of  the  Pacific,  with  the 
inevitable  degeneration  that  comes  from  isola- 
tion. 

The  absence  of  the  metals  with  which  to 
make  tools,  the  mildness  of  the  climate,  and 
food  to  be  had  without  toil  were  further  handi- 
caps in  the  upward  struggle.  Breadfruit  hung 
ready  for  the  picking,  the  clear  waters  of  the 
lagoon  swarmed  with  fishes,  clothing  was  a 
luxury  rather  than  necessity,  and  each  island 
set  its  own  standards  quite  independent  of  the 
unknown  world  outside.  What  wonder  the 
people  grew  indolent  and  quarrelsome  and 
superstitious. 

Social  Life.  —  The  social  life  in  Micronesia 
was  that  of  the  lowest  savagery;  lust,  ever 
present  violence  and  warfare,  occasional  canni- 
balism, with  constant  insecurity  of  life,  infan- 
ticide, and  degrading  superstition  were  all 
features  in  the  picture.     In  many  of  the  Gil- 


74  CHBISTUS  BEBEMPTOR 

bert  Islands  little  or  no  clothing  was  worn,  and 
the  people  seemed  as  unconscious  of  their  naked- 
ness as  cattle.  Yet  they  had  their  own  rude 
arts.  Stone  adzes  and  knives  of  bone  and  steel 
served  as  tools  with  which  they  did  really  re- 
markable work,  and  from  the  inner  bark  of 
trees  women  beat  out  a  poor  fabric  for  rugs 
and  clothing.  They  were  adventurous,  too, 
and  fearless  sailors.  If  there  were  large  trees, 
they  made  dugouts ;  if  not,  they  sewed  together 
strips  of  cocoanut  wood,  and  in  these  frail 
canoes  ventured  hundreds  of  miles  out  on  the 
encompassing  sea.  The  Morning  Star  once 
found  a  crew  of  natives  beating  their  way  home 
three  hundred  miles  out  against  a  head  wind. 
The  captain  gave  them  a  compass  and  taught 
them  its  use,  but  one  of  them  pointed  to  an  old 
man  of  their  number,  saying,  "  His  head  all 
same  compass." 

Religion.  —  The  religion  of  the  Micronesians 
is  the  lowest  type  of  fetichism.  There  are  no 
temples,  no  regular  priesthood,  but  reverence 
is  paid  to  sacred  trees,  slabs  of  stone,  and  relics 
of  the  dead.  They  seem  to  have  no  conception 
of  a  Supreme  Deity,  but,  says  Mr.  Logan, 
"  They  recognize  the  fundamental  distinctions 
between  right  and  wrong,  and  the  binding  force 
of  most  of  the  Decalogue,  when  presented  to 
them." 

Missionary  Work.  —  In  the  islands  lying 
south  of  the  equator  missionary  work  has  been 
carried  on  by  English  societies,  notably  the 
London  Missionary  Society.    The  islands  north 


SAMOA,    TONGA,  MICRONESIA  75 

of  the  equator  have  been  the  field  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  representing  the  Congregational 
churches.  Pioneer  work  was  begun  in  1852, 
by  the  sending  of  Rev.  Benjamin  G.  Snow, 
Luther  Gulick,  M.D.,  and  A.  A.  Sturges,  with 
their  wives  and  two  Hawaiian  families,  to  the 
islands  Ponape  and  Kusaie  of  the  Caroline 
group.  These  missionaries  were  sent  out  from 
Hawaii,  where  the  children  of  the  missionaries 
undertook  the  support  of  Dr.  Gulick.  King 
Kamehameha  III.  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
missionaries  a  letter  of  greeting  to  the  island 
chiefs  of  Micronesia,  in  which  he  commended 
the  missionaries  and  told  of  the  enlightenment 
and  prosperity  that  had  come  to  his  country 
through  the  introduction  of  Christianity. 

Kusaie.  —  The  work  on  Kusaie  was  success- 
ful from  the  first.  The  island  is  of  volcanic 
formation,  luxuriantly  wooded  to  the  summit 
of  the  mountains.  It  has  jungles  of  palm  trees 
and  groves  of  stately  mangrove  trees  wading 
out  into  the  salt  water  of  the  lagoons.  Kusaie 
has  fringing  reefs  that  are  scarcely  anywhere 
separated  from  the  shore.  It  has  been  called 
the  "Gem  of  the  Pacific."  When  the  letter 
from  King  Kamehameha  was  read  to  him,  King 
George  consented  to  receive  the  missionaries 
and  promised  to  be  a  father  to  them.  He  faith- 
fully carried  out  this  promise,  and  assisted  the 
missionaries,  built  a  house  of  worship,  and 
himself  united  with  the  church.  On  this  island 
grew  up  the  Girls'  Seminary  and  a  Training 
School,  to  which  later  on  pupils  from  the  Gilbert 


76  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

and  Marshall  Islands  were  sent  to  be  educated 
for  missionary  work. 

Ponape.  —  On  the  island  Ponape  things  did 
n6t  go  so  smoothly.  The  island  itself  is  quite  as 
attractive  as  Kusaie.  It  is  of  volcanic  formation, 
with  mountains  rising  steeply  twenty-eight  hun- 
dred feet,  with  a  marvellous  barrier  reef  sepa- 
rated from  the  land  by  two  to  eight  miles  of  water 
in  which  vessels  of  fair  size  might  sail  around  the 
island.  The  circumference  of  the  reef  is  eighty 
miles,  and  that  of  the  main  island  sixty  miles. 
The  flora  of  the  island  is  rich  and  abundant.  Here 
is  the  ivory  palm,  the  most  graceful  of  the  world, 
we  are  told;  huge  banyan  trees,  the  durion 
which  the  English  scientist,  Mr.  Wallace,  has 
called  the  King  of  Fruits,  and  a  delectable  list 
of  other  fruits,  the  mere  cataloguing  of  which 
makes  the  mouth  water :  breadfruit,  oranges, 
taro,  bananas,  pineapples,  papaias,  chere- 
moias,  guavas,  and  mangos.  On  every  side 
are  enchanting  views  of  mountains  and  valleys, 
the  lagoon  with  its  brilliantly  colored  coral  and 
seaweed  waving  in  the  clear  water,  the  prismatic 
basaltic  cliffs,  the  long  line  of  white  beach,  and 
the  blue  sea  with  its  snowy  breakers.  But, 
though  every  prospect  was  pleasing,  the  one 
hundred  foreigners  living  at  Ponape  showed 
themselves  decidedly  vile.  They  were  infuri- 
ated because  the  very  presence  of  the  mission- 
aries checked  their  unbridled  lust,  and  even 
more  because  the  missionaries  exposed  a  plot 
of  some  unprincipled  traders  to  get  possession 
of  the  Metalanim  Harbor  by  a  fraudulent  con- 


SAMOA,    TONGA,  MICRONESIA  77 

tract  with  the  chiefs.  Dark  years  followed  of 
constant  war,  disease,  suspicion  on  the  part  of 
the  natives  incited  by  the  calumnies  of  the  white 
outcasts,  and  by  illness  and  death  in  the  little 
force  of  missionaries.  But  after  eight  years 
of  hard  work  on  language  and  translation, 
school  building  and  education,  industrial  train- 
ing and  care  of  the  sick  and  dying,  the  faithful 
workers  were  cheered  by  the  first  out-and-out 
confession  of  the  new  faith.  By  1867  meetings 
were  held  in  twelve  places,  with  three  churches 
and  a  carefully  sifted  membership  of  those  who 
had  proved  their  devotion  by  changed  lives. 
In  1899  the  Caroline  Islands  passed  under  the 
control  of  Germany.  The  group  numbers  some 
five  hundred  islands.  The  native  population 
is  about  fifty  thousand.  *p 

Gilbert  Islands.  —  In   1857  work  was  begun  ~^~<x- 
on  the  Gilbert  group.     The  Gilbert  Islands  are  ^^*/ 
sixteen  in  number,  low  and  desolate,  with  thin       'S* 
soil,    scanty    rainfall,    and    limited   vegetation,  /jr^-u^ 
Hardly  any  tree  except  the  screw  pine  and  the    t^-fi 
cocoanut  palm  will  grow;    and  even  the  hardy    ^ 
cocoanut   palm  yields  here   only   six   or   eight      T^. 
small  nuts,  while  in  islands  where  the  soil  is       'tj 
good  and  rainfall  abundant,  a  good  tree  will 
yield  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  nuts 
of  the  largest  size.    The  poor  provision  made  by 
the  trees  is  supplemented  by  the  ocean  which 
pours  its  wealth  into  the  still  lagoons.    Such 
glistening  fish,  such  magnificent  coral,  such  gor- 
geous vegetation  of  the  sea  as  nature  has  lav- 
ished on  these  low-lying  atolls,  were  never  seen 


78  CHRISTUS  REBEMPTOR 

elsewhere.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  in  those  most 
barren  and  unattractive  islands  the  population 
is  densest  in  all  Micronesia;  in  some  of  the 
islands  of  the  group,  one  thousand  to  the  square 
mile.  In  1857  Rev.  Hiram  Bingham,  Jr.,  with 
his  devoted  wife,  began  work  in  the  Gilbert 
Islands,  and  continued  until  1874,  when,  utterly 
broken  in  health,  they  were  compelled  to  re- 
move to  Honolulu  where  the  translation  of  the 
Bible  was  completed.  Other  workers  took 
their  places,  but  after  years  of  struggle  against 
the  insufficient  food  and  poor  water,  and  low 
malarial  fevers,  it  was  decided  by  the  Board 
that  it  was  best  to  station  American  workers 
on  high  islands  like  Kusaie  and  Ponape,  and  to 
bring  to  Kusaie  for  training  the  young  men  and 
women  of  the  Gilbert  group.  This  arrangement, 
supplemented  by  the  supervising  trips  of  the 
missionaries  in  the  Morning  Star,  has  enabled 
the  work  to  progress  without  interruption.  In 
1892  the  king  of  the  principal  island  in  the  Gil- 
bert group,  alarmed  by  the  oppression  suffered 
in  the  Caroline  and  Marshall  groups  at  the 
hands  of  Spain  and  Germany,  took  passage  to 
San  Francisco,  and  offered  his  island  to  the 
United  States.  Sure  that  so  fine  a  gift  would 
not  go  begging,  he  returned  home,  and  in  prepa- 
ration of  annexation,  began  to  build  a  wharf 
one  thousand  feet  long.  While  President  Harri- 
son  and  his  cabinet  were  considering  the  ques- 
tion, England  got  word  of  the  negotiation,  and 
promptly  sent  a  warship  and  hoisted  the  British 
;    flag.     This  on  islands  which  American  heroism 


SAMOA,    TONGA,   MICRONESIA  79 

had  started  on  the  way  toward  civilization,  and 
on  which  American  martyr  lives  had  been  freely 
given !  In  English  hands,  however,  missionary 
interests  have  been  safely  guarded,  and  the  wel- 
fare of  the  natives  scrupulously  considered. 

The  Marshalls.  —  The  Marshall  Islands,  called 
the  "  Naturalists'  Paradise  "  from  their  wealth 
of  rare  seaweeds  and  shells,  are  somewhat 
similar  to  the  Gilbert  Islands,  but  rather  more 
elevated,  and  with  more  luxuriant  vegetation. 
The  atolls  are  very  numerous,  lying  like  great 
strings  of  green  beads  upon  the  surface  of  the 
water.  The  race  is  finer  and  more  athletic 
than  on  the  Gilbert  Islands,  skilled  in  savage 
handicrafts,  and  bold  and  warlike.  The  work 
in  the  Marshall  group  came  about  by  the  ship- 
wreck of  one  hundred  storm-driven  Marshall 
islanders  on  Kusaie.  Expecting  nothing  but 
death,  they  were  rescued  by  the  missionaries 
and  returned  home.  This  kindness  gave  the 
opportunity  for  entrance  to  the  islands  which 
had  been  considered  hopelessly  savage  and  hos- 
tile, and  in  a  few  years  wonderful  results  began 
to  be  evident  in  changed  customs  and  better  lives. 
In  1885  Dr.  C.  H.  Wetmore  of  Hawaii  visited  the 
island  of  Pingelap  where,  in  1871,  the  mission- 
aries had  found  people  living  like  "  dogs  in  a 
kennel,"  and  reported  that  he  found  a  church 
filled  with  a  thousand  worshippers,  and  a  change 
wrought  that  was  perfectly  marvellous.1 

1  See  Alexander's  "  Islands  of  the  Pacific,"  pp.  330, 333, 
for  interesting  anecdotes  regarding  the  introduction  of 
Christianity.  See  also  "  Heroes  of  the  South  Seas,"  pp. 
185, 191. 


80  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

The  Mortlocks.  —  A  beautiful  story  marks 
the  bringing  of  the  good  news  to  the  Mortlock 
Islands.  A  royal  princess  of  Ponape,  one  of 
the  Caroline  Islands,  Opatinia,  daughter  of  the 
king,  and  heir  to  the  throne,  renounced  her  right 
to  the  throne  and  her  opportunity  to  become  a 
queen,  and  offered  herself  as  a  missionary  to 
the  dark  islands  of  the  West.  When  one  con- 
siders how  recently  her  own  people  possessed 
the  gospel,  and  remembers  in  addition  the  in- 
tense love  of  these  island  people  for  their  homes, 
her  sacrifice  was  not  less  in  the  eyes  of  her  people 
than  Queen  Victoria  would  have  made,  had 
she  relinquished  her  crown  to  go  to  some  far- 
away Madagascar  as  a  missionary.  Opatinia, 
with  her  husband  and  two  other  native  teachers, 
was  taken  on  the  Morning  Star  to  one  of  the 
islands  of  the  Mortlocks,  and  there  left  for  a 
year  before  the  next  visit  of  the  Morning  Star. 
On  the  second  visit  of  the  Morning  Star,  more 
than  two  years  after  her  first  landing,  the  ship 
Was  met  by  a  multitude  of  natives  singing  Chris- 
tian songs  of  welcome,  and  the  missionary  dele- 
gation was  conducted  to  a  fine  house  of  worship 
built  and  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God. 

Ruk.  —  The  good  work  of  the  brown  princess 
and  her  devoted  helpers  spread  as  good  work 
always  does.  The  people  of  Ruk,  hearing 
of  the  wonders  that  were  happening  in  the 
Mortlocks,  sent  for  teachers.  A  native  teacher, 
Moses,  was  followed  in  1884  by  Robert  W. 
Logan,  who  with  his  wife  did  a  wonderful 
work  in  Ruk. 


SAMOA,    TONGA,  MICRONESIA  81 

But  while  the  light  was  slowly  spreading  in 
all  Micronesia,  through  the  heroic  work  of  the 
men  and  women  of  the  American  Board,  while 
the  children  in  the  Congregational  Sunday- 
schools  were  sending  out  five  Morning  Stars  in 
succession  to  cruise  among  the  islands,  the  hin- 
drances that  seem  inevitable  in  the  story  of  hu- 
man progress  were  being  stirred  up  by  European 
governments.  Germany  claimed  a  protectorate 
over  all  Micronesia,  sleepy  Spain  rubbed  her 
eyes  and  remembered  that  she  discovered  the 
islands  in  1686.  To  be  sure  she  had  never  done 
anything  for  them  that  benefited  them  in  the 
least,  but  she  found  them,  and  they  were  hers. 
The  dispute  was  referred  to  the  Pope,  who 
neatly  solved  the  difficulty  by  assigning  the 
Caroline  Islands  to  Spain  and  the  Marshall 
Islands  to  Germany. 

Spanish  and  German  Claims.  —  Spain  promptly 
sent  warships  to  get  the  cession  from  the  chiefs, 
and  landed  governor,  priests,  soldiers,  and  con- 
victs. The  governor  confiscated  land  belonging 
to  the  American  mission,  clapped  the  expostu- 
lating missionary  into  a  ship,  and  sent  him  to 
Manila,  then  a  Spanish  possession,  two  thousand 
miles  away.  An  American  warship  compelled 
the  Spanish  governor  of  Manila  to  release  the 
missionary,  Mr.  Doane,  and  return  him  -to 
Ponape. 

Meanwhile,  the  natives,  exasperated  by  forced 
labor  on  stolen  land,  revolted,  killed  the  Span- 
iards, and  forced  them  to  sail  away.  Mr. 
Doane  persuaded  the  new  governor  to  grant  an 


82  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

amnesty,  and  the  natives  to  give  up  their  arms 
and  submit. 

Spanish  Outrages.  —  But  the  four  war  vessels 
and  the  twelve  hundred  soldiers  bred  constant 
troubles.  The  mission  premises  were  shelled, 
the  girls'  schoolhouse  burned,  and  also  the 
large  church.  In  three  pitched  battles  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  natives  in  their  jungles  kept  twelve 
hundred  soldiers  at  bay,  killed  three  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  of  them,  and  captured  one  hun- 
dred guns.  The  Spanish  governor  sent  messages 
to  the  banished  missionaries,  begging  them  to 
return,  as  "their  presence  was  necessary  for 
the  maintenance  of  order." 

Germany  in  Marshall  Islands.  —  Germany's 
tactics  were  less  oppressive  than  those  of  Spain, 
but  were  certainly  unjust  to  those  whose  forty 
years  of  service  had  laid  the  foundation  of  civil 
order  in  the  Marshall  Islands.  Missionaries 
were  forbidden  to  open  new  stations ;  they  were 
not  allowed  to  buy  sites  for  schools  or  churches. 
The  Morning  Star  was  obliged  to  pay  a  license 
of  $250  yearly  to  sell  Bibles  and  school  books. 
Heavy  taxes  were  laid  upon  the  natives. 

GUAM 

American  Seizure.  — As  a  war  measure,  to  in- 
sure a  coaling  station,  Guam  was  seized  by  the 
American  military  expedition  to  the  Philippines 
in  1898  At  the  close  of  the  Spanish  war  the 
other  islands  of  the  group  (the  Marianas)  were  re- 
turned to  Spain,  but  Guam  was  retained.  Spain 
promptly  ceded  the  other  islands  to  Germany. 


SAMOA,   TONGA,  MICRONESIA  83 

The  Island.  —  Guam  is  the  largest  of  the 
Mariana  Archipelago.  Thirty-two  miles  long, 
a  hundred  in  circumference,  with  an  area  of 
two  hundred  square  miles,  a  population  of 
ten  thousand,  and  a  city,  Agana,  of  six  thou- 
sand. The  harbor  of  Port  San  Louis  is  one  of 
the  finest  of  the  Pacific  islands. 

Climate  and  Products.  — The  island  is  very 
beautiful,  luxuriantly  wooded,  and  rich  in  varied 
products.  In  the  central  valley  all  tropical 
fruits  abound.  The  jungle  is  full  of  deer,  gor- 
geous butterflies  flit  through  the  forests,  and 
exquisite  flowers  and  orchids  are  found  in  pro- 
fusion. In  the  high  northern  plateau  coffee 
and  other  products  of  sub-tropics  are  grown. 
The  forests  are  filled  with  rare  woods. 

The  People.  — The  inhabitants  are  for  the 
most  part  immigrants  from  the  Philippines, 
the  original  race  of  the  Marianas  having  become 
extinct.  Conditions  are  in  many  ways  similar 
to  those  of  the  Philippines,  —  people  are  neat, 
rejoicing  in  bathing  and  sea  sport.  Cock 
fighting  is  a  passion  with  them,  as  it  is  among 
the  Filipinos.  Nearly  all  villages  have  their 
schools,  and  nine-tenths  of  the  islanders  can 
read  and  write,  though  their  knowledge  is  wo- 
fully  meagre.  Since  the  American  occupation 
there  has  been  a  great  enthusiasm  for  American 
schools  and  the  study  of  English.  At  the  time 
of  the  American  occupation,  the  population  was 
diminishing,  but  with  better  sanitary  regulations 
and  medical  care  late  statistics  show  an  increasing 
birth-rate  and  somewhat  diminished  death-rate. 


84  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

The  Independent  of  March  13,  1902,  contains 
an  interesting  article  on  Guam. 

PITCAIRN  AND  NORFOLK  ISLANDS 

Mutineers  of  the  Bounty.  —  In  1777  the 
British  government  desired  to  procure  some 
breadfruit  trees,  to  introduce  this  marvellous 
fruit  into  the  West  Indies.  An  expedition  was 
sent  out  to  Tahiti  on  the  war-sloop  Bounty,  — 
forty-four  seamen,  a  botanist,  a  gardener,  and 
the  officer  in  command.  The  breadfruit  trees 
were  secured  and  the  home  voyage  begun  in 
1779,  when  a  mutiny  broke  out  among  the  crew, 
who  had  been  thoroughly  demoralized  by  their 
life  of  sensuality  in  Tahiti.  They  seized  Lieu- 
tenant Bligh  and  the  officers,  stocked  an  open 
sailboat  with  provisions  and  compass,  and  set  it 
adrift  with  nineteen  men  on  board.  After  much 
suffering,  and  hair-breadth  escapes  on  cannibal 
islands,  this  little  party  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  Dutch  settlement  at  Coupon.  They  had 
voyaged  four  thousand  miles  in  an  open  boat 
for  forty-seven  days.  Lieutenant  Bligh  returned 
to  England,  and  subsequently  won  high  rank  in 
the  navy.  Meanwhile  the  mutineers  were  cruis- 
ing about  in  an  attempt  to  find  an  island  hiding- 
place  from  the  vengeance  of  the  law.  Landing 
at  Tahiti,  they  represented  to  the  natives  that 
Lieutenant  Bligh  had  decided  to  settle  on  an 
uninhabited  island  and  had  sent  them  back  to 
procure  provisions.  The  Tahitians  believed  this 
tale,  stocked  them  bountifully,  and  even  gave 
back  the  bull  and  cow  which  Lieutenant  Bligh 


SAMOA,   TONGA,   MICRONESIA  85 

had  presented  to  the  island.  Native  women  to 
the  number  of  twelve  were  abducted,  and  six 
native  men.  Thirteen  of  the  mutineers  declined 
to  go  farther,  and  were  left  at  Tahiti.  The  others 
sailed  away  to  an  uninhabited  island,  of  which 
the  mate,  Fletcher  Christian,  knew.  This  was  in 
the  Pearl  group,  named  Pitcairn,  after  the  mid- 
shipman who  first  sighted  it  in  1677. 

Pitcairn  Island.  —  The  little  island  in  which 
the  mutineers  landed  was  only  five  miles  and  a 
half  in  circumference,  rising  from  one  hundred 
to  one  thousand  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  sea. 
If  had  no  reef,  but  frowning  cliffs  made  landing 
impossible  except  at  two  or  three  points.  It  was 
fertile,  luxuriantly  wooded  with  noble  trees,  and 
rich  in  fruits  and  flowers.  They  entered  the  little 
bay,  which  they  named  Bounty  Bay.  They  dis- 
mantled the  ship  and  burned  her  that  all  hope  of 
retreat  and  all  danger  of  discovery  might  be  cutoff. 

Settlement  on  the  Island. — There  were  twenty- 
eight  of  these  first  settlers.  The  nine  white  men 
parcelled  out  the  land,  reserving  none  for  the 
natives.  All  selected  wives  and  began  to  clear 
and  cultivate  the  soil.  For  two  years  there  was 
peace;  then  began  a  struggle  for  supremacy 
that  brought  the  little  colony  to  the  verge  of 
extinction.  Williams's  wife  died ;  he  appropriated 
the  wife  of  one  of  the  native  men.  The  natives 
conspired  to  kill  the  whites,  were  discovered,  and 
two  of  them  put  to  death.  Two  horrible  years 
followed  of  carousal  and  quarrelling.  No  man 
dared  trust  another.  The  memory  of  their 
crimes    drove   them,    and    fear     of    discovery 


86  CURISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

and  retribution  haunted  them.  The  lookout 
watched  for  a  passing  man-of-war  from  his  high 
rock,  while  deadly  monotony  and  homesickness 
did  their  work.  Their  wrath  and  bitterness  were 
expressed  in  cruel  tyranny  over  the  natives,  until 
these  again  revolted  and  killed  Christian  and  four 
other  white  men.  The  four  remaining  white 
men,  with  the  help  of  the  women,  killed  the 
native  men.  One  of  the  four  committed  suicide 
while  in  a  delirium  of  drunkenness  from  the 
liquor  he  was  distilling  from  the  ti  roots.  Quintal, 
one  of  the  survivors,  was  murdered  in  a  quarrel 
about  one  of  the  women;  and  Young  died  of 
asthma  in  1800.  Thus  ten  years  after  the  land- 
ing on  the  island  there  was  left  alive  but  one  of 
the  fifteen  men  in  the  original  party.  Two  of 
the  women  had  been  killed  by  falling  over  the 
cliffs  while  gathering  birds'  eggs.  There  re- 
mained ten  women  and  twenty-three  children. 

The  Regeneration  of  John  Adams.  —  In  the 
quiet  and  loneliness  of  his  lot  the  survivor,  John 
Adams,  thought  about  the  past  and  the  terrible 
wickedness  of  his  life.  Dreams  haunted  him, 
and  the  memory  of  old  prayers  and  teachings 
heard  in  boyhood  returned  to  him.  Once  more 
the  old  miracle,  ever  strange  and  new,  was 
wrought ;  God  took  away  the  stony  heart, 
and  gave  him  a  new  heart,  even  the  heart  of  a 
little  child.  In  genuine  repentance  he  turned 
to  the  religious  education  of  the  children  grow- 
ing up  in  these  scenes  of  violence.  He  found  a 
Bible  and  prayer-book  in  the  ship's  stores;  and 
these  became  the  text-books  and  the  inspiration 


SAMOA,   TONGA,  MICRONESIA  87 

of  the  little  colony.  The  oldest  children  were 
barely  ten,  still  unspoiled  and  teachable.  An 
idyllic  period  like  that  of  the  book  of  Ruth  began. 
Each  day  was  opened  and  closed  with  worship; 
the  fields  were  tilled,  boats  made,  houses  built, 
and  cloth  woven.  The  patriarch  Adams  had 
weddings  to  solemnize,  and  new  families  of 
the  second  generation  rose.  The  little  village 
gleamed  amid  its  trees  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain, looking  far  out  over  the  flashing  blue  of 
the  sea. 

The  First  Ship.  —  It  was  twenty  years  since 
the  civilized  world  had  known  anything  about 
the  mutineers  of  the  Bounty,  when  the  round 
and  wondering  eyes  of  the  young  Pitcairn 
Islanders  beheld  the  first  sail  glimmering  on  the 
horizon.  It  was  an  American  sealer  from 
Nantucket  that  discovered  the  little  community. 
Captain  Folger  and  his  men  were  delightfully 
entertained  and  departed  well  pleased.  Six 
years  later  came  a  British  warship.  Imagine 
the  astonishment  on  board  when  a  stalwart  and 
handsome  "  native"  who  had  paddled  off  in 
his  canoe  called  out  in  English,  "  Won't  you 
heave  us  a  rope? "  Two  young  fellows,  in- 
nocent of  clothing  save  a  loin  cloth,  were  invited 
on  board  and  gave  their  names  as  George  Young 
and  Thursday  Christian.  John  Adams  resolved 
to  give  himself  up  for  trial  by  the  British  govern- 
ment, but  the  officers  decided  to  leave  him  on 
the  island  he  had  long  governed  so  well. 

Later  History.  —  In  1823  two  young  English- 
men were  added  to  the  colony;  one  a  school- 


88  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

teacher,  the  other  a  deserter  who  hid  in  a  hollow 
tree  that  he  might  remain  on  the  island  and 
marry  Adams's  daughter.  By  1825  there  were 
sixty-one  persons  on  the  island,  a  fine  stalwart 
race,  handsome  and  healthy,  with  disease  virtu- 
ally unknown.  In  1828  an  adventurous  English- 
man, Mr.  George  Nobbs,  well  educated  and  of 
good  character,  made  a  voyage  of  two  thousand 
miles  in  an  open  boat  that  he  might  come  to  the 
wonderful  island  of  which  he  had  heard.  He 
became  school-teacher,  and  in  1853  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  islanders  he  was  ordained  in  the 
Church  of  England,  and  became  their  minister. 
After  the  death  of  Adams  in  1829  laws  were 
framed,  and  a  magistrate  and  council  of  seven 
elected.     Both  women  and  men  voted. 

Removal  from  Pitcairn.  —  The  population  was 
becoming  too  large  for  the  little  island,  and  in 
1831  the  government  removed  them  to  Tahiti. 
It  would  not  do;  the  homesick  Pitcairners  re- 
turned in  six  months.  In  1856,  when  the  popu- 
lation numbered  one  hundred  and  ninety-four 
and  something  had  to  be  done,  they  were  again 
removed  to  Norfolk  Island,  four  hundred  miles 
northwest  of  New  Zealand. 

Norfolk  Island.  —  This  island  is  larger  than 
Pitcairn — -as  large  again,  in  fact.  The  soil  is 
exceedingly  fertile;  there  are  noble  trees,  rich 
fruits,  and  a  beautiful  wooded  mountain  to  crown 
the  island.  It  had  been  used  for  a  convict  settle- 
ment, but  the  convicts  had  all  been  removed  upon 
objection  on  the  part  of  New  Zealand  to  the  use 
of  the  island  as  a  penal  settlement.     Here  were 


SAMOA,    TONGA,  MICRONESIA  89 

excellent  stone  houses  already  built,  delightful 
gardens,  and  hills  stocked  with  sheep,  swine, 
and  cattle.  In  the  same  year  the  entire  popu- 
lation of  the  island  was  confirmed  by  Bishop 
Patteson  and  became  communicants  of  the 
Church  of  England.  The  bishop  wished  at  once 
to  move  his  missionary  training  school  from 
New  Zealand  to  Norfolk  Island,  but  was  unable 
to  secure  the  permission  of  the  British  govern- 
ment until  1864,  soon  after  which  he  made  the 
transfer.  The  population  of  the  island  consists 
at  present  of  the  Melanesian  students  in  the  mis- 
sion school  and  the  descendants  of  the  Pitcairn 
Islanders,  who  now  number  700,  of  whom  400 
are  communicants  of  the  Church  of  England. 
But  in  spite  of  the  rich  and  fertile  island  with  its 
manifold  advantages,  the  hearts  of  many  turned 
fondly  to  Pitcairn.  In  two  years  sixteen  per- 
sons returned  to  Pitcairn, —  two  families.  They 
were  rejoiced  to  find  it  overgrown  with  vegeta- 
tion, the  trees  loaded  with  fruit,  and  chickens, 
pigs,  and  goats  roaming  everywhere.  Later  four 
other  families  returned.  In  1900  there  were  one 
hundred  and  forty  people  on  the  island,  and  the 
problem  of  overcrowding  is  again  threatening. 

Present  Condition.  —  The  Seventh-Day  Ad- 
ventists  in  1886  converted  the  present  Pitcairn 
Islanders  to  their  peculiar  tenet,  and  persuaded 
them  to  adopt  Saturday  as  their  day  of  rest.  The 
Mission  brig  Pitcairn,  of  the  Adventists,  keeps 
them  in  touch  with  the  outside  world.  Their 
children  are  some  of  them  in  this  country  to  be 
educated.    They  are  embarking  in  the  mission 


90  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

enterprises  of  the  Adventists  in  New  Guinea 
and  other  islands.  The  health,  peace,  education, 
sobriety,  and  genuine  religion  of  these  islanders 
are  marvellous  testimonials  of  the  real  products 
of  the  gospel  when  allowed  to  have  free  course 
and  be  glorified. 

Note.  Recent  periodicals  contain  interesting  articles  on 
Pitcairn  Island. 

TOPICS,   QUESTIONS,  AND  SUGGESTIONS 

A  sketch  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson's  life  in  Samoa, 
containing  his  estimate  of  the  natives  and  reflections 
on  native  customs. 

The  reading  of  some  of  his  prayers  written  for  family 
worship  in  Samoa. 

A  paper  on  the  stately  etiquette  of  the  Samoans, 
—  their  language  of  ceremony. 

What  difference  does  Stevenson  note  between  the 
Gilbert  and  Marshall  islanders  ("The  South  Seas")? 

What  disadvantages  are  there  in  the  joint  ownership 
of  Germany  and  the  United  States  in  Samoa?  Is  it 
just  to  native  interests  ? 

Look  up  the  history  of  our  government's  adminis- 
tration of  its  Samoan  possessions, — has  Samoa  received 
fair  consideration?  A  good  deal  of  valuable  material 
on  this  topic  may  be  found  by  consulting  Poole's 
Index  of  Periodical  Literature. 

A  paper  narrating  the  fortunes  of  Guam  under 
American  rule. 

A  biographical  sketch  of  Luther  Gulick  —  a  great 
man  and  most  interesting  personality. 

The  story  of  the  five  Morning  Stars,  the  missionary 
vessels  built  for  Micronesia  by  contributions  from  the 
children  of  the  Congregational  Sunday-schools. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    HAWAIIAN    ISLANDS 

Name.  —  The  name  Hawaiian  Islands  has  re- 
cently taken  the  place  of  that  of  Sandwich  Islands, 
a  name  given  by  Captain  Cook.  They  are  the 
only  important  islands  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  Pacific  north  of  the  Equator.  It  is  probable 
that  these  islands  are,  as  Captain  C.  E.  Dutton 
has  said,  "  the  summit  of  a  gigantic  submarine 
mountain  range,"  their  highest  mountains  rising 
fourteen  thousand  feet  above  the  ocean.  In 
relation  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  these  islands 
are  higher  than  the  Himalayas. 

Size  and  Situation  of  the  Islands.  —  The 
Hawaiian  Islands  are  situated  on  the  cross  roads 
of  the  Pacific,  where  converge  the  main  thorough- 
fares between  San  Francisco,  Auckland,  Sydney, 
Hong  Kong,  Tokio,  and  the  South  American 
ports.  Only  five  of  the  ten  islands  are  of  much 
importance;  their  area  is  not  quite  that  of 
Massachusetts,  —  sixty-two  hundred  square 
miles.  Much  of  this  area  is  too  mountainous 
and  rocky  for  aught  save  pasturage,  but  the 
fertile  portions  are  exceedingly  rich  and  can 
support  a  population  of  a  million,  and  maintain 
a  commerce  of  many  million  dollars  annually. 

Climate  and  Physical  Features.  —  A  very  great 
91 


92  CHBISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

difference  is  noticeable  between  the  vegetation 
of  the  windward  and  leeward  sides  of  the  islands. 
On  the  northeast  side  exposed  to  the  trade  winds 
there  is  none  of  the  tropical  luxuriance  and  verd- 
ure that  make  the  southwestern  portions  such 
a  wilderness  of  beauty.  The  vines,  the  tree 
ferns,  the  heavy-scented  blossoms,  the  gorgeous 
birds,  and  luscious  fruits  make  these  regions  of 
perpetual  summer  seem  like  the  vision  of  a 
dream.  But,  to  the  traveller  approaching  from 
the  east,  the  first  view  is  apt  to  be  disappointing. 
The  island  of  Kauai  at  the  northwest  extremity 
of  the  chain  has  the  most  fertile  soil,  the  largest 
streams,  and  richest  verdure.  It  is  called  the 
Garden  Island.  The  mountains  rise  to  a  height 
of  five  thousand  feet.  Its  size  is  twenty-five  by 
twenty-two  miles.  The  city  of  Honolulu  is  situ- 
ated on  the  island  Oahu,  an  island  longer 
than  Kauai,  but  having  about  the  same  area, 
five  hundred  as  against  five  hundred  and  thirty 
square  miles.  It  lies  sixty-four  miles  southeast 
of  Kauai,  and  boasts  Pearl  Harbor,  one  of  the 
finest  harbors  in  the  world.  Again  southeast, 
twenty-three  miles  distant,  is  Molokai,  along,  nar- 
row island,  with  an  area  of  one  hundred  and 
ninety  square  miles.  This  is  mountainous  but 
very  fertile  in  its  level  portion.  Here  is  the 
peninsula  Kalauwao,  where  the  leper  settlement 
is  segregated.  The  next  island  is  Maui,  distant 
eight  miles,  with  an  area  of  six  hundred  and 
twenty  square  miles.  This  island  has  many  scenic 
marvels,  among  them  a  valley  that  rivals  the 
Yosemite  in  grandeur  and  far  exceeds  it  in  verd- 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  93 

lire  and  luxuriance  of  vegetation ;  and  a  marvel- 
lous crater  ten  thousand  feet  above  the  ocean,  in 
form  of  a  vast  cavern  seven  miles  long  and  two 
thousand  feet  deep.  The  largest  island  of  the 
group,  Hawaii,  is  ninety  miles  long  and  seventy 
broad,  containing  nearly  four  thousand  square 
miles  of  territory.  On  it  are  the  loftiest  moun- 
tains of  the  Pacific,  twin  peaks,  fourteen  thousand 
feet  high.  Three  volcanoes  have  rendered  large 
portions  of  this  island  blasted  and  unattractive 
in  aspect,  but  in  some  parts  of  the  island,  where 
the  lava  flow  has  decomposed  into  soil,  spots  of 
wonderful  fertility  are  seen.  The  three  vol- 
canoes of  Hawaii  are  among  the  most  remarkable 
in  the  world,  and  have  been  often  described  by 
tourists.  Of  Mauna  Loa,  Dr.  Alexander  says 
in  1891 :  "  This  volcano,  considered  as  to  the 
size  of  its  mountain  (the  noblest  of  the  Pacific), 
as  to  the  height  of  the  column  of  fire  it  lifts  up- 
ward fourteen  thousand  feet,  as  to  the  power  of 
its  eruptions,  throwing  fountains  from  one  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand  feet  in  height,  and  as  to 
the  amount  of  lava  poured  forth,  ejecting  at  one 
eruption  as  much  as  Vesuvius  has  poured  forth 
in  two  thousand  years,  is  the  grandest  volcano 
in  the  world." 

Primitive  Condition  of  the  Hawaiian  People.  — 
The  people  of  the  islands  belong  to  the  Poly- 
nesian race,  and  have  the  characteristics  common 
to  the  race.  They  had,  however,  progressed 
rather  further  toward  civilization  than  some  of 
the  other  island  peoples,  and  a  brief  account  of 
their  condition  when  first  known  to  Europeans 


94  CHBISTUS  BEBEMPTOB 

will  be  of  interest.  While  in  New  Zealand  there 
existed  a  system  of  tribal  ownership  of  land, 
and  in  Samoa  a  communal  or  village  owner- 
ship, in  Hawaii  a  most  despotic  feudal  ten- 
ure had  long  been  in  existence.  The  common 
peasants  were  merely  tenants  at  will,  with  no 
rights  that  the  kings  or  nobility  were  bound  to 
respect.  At  any  time  they  might  be  dispossessed 
of  their  homes  on  the  caprice  of  a  chief.  The 
king  and  the  tabu  (or  sacred)  chiefs  were  thought 
to  be  of  Divine  lineage,  says  W.  D.  Alexander. 
"  It  was  death  for  a  common  man  to  remain 
standing  at  the  mention  of  the  king's  name  in 
song,  or  when  the  king's  food,  drinking  water, 
or  clothing  was  carried  past;  to  enter  his  en- 
closure without  permission;  or  even  to  cross  his 
shadow  or  that  of  his  house.  If  he  entered  the 
dread  presence  of  the  Sovereign,  he  must  crawl, 
prone  on  the  ground,  Kolokolo,  and  leave  it  in 
the  same  manner."  All  law  existed  in  the  per- 
son of  the  king,  and  on  his  death,  perhaps  be- 
cause of  the  feeling  that  without  the  king  there 
could  be  no  restraint,  there  ensued  a  carnival 
of  anarchy,  crime,  and  debauchery  unspeakable. 
Revenues  were  obtained  in  the  good  old  feudal 
fashion;  the  king  demanded  his  dues  of  the 
great  chiefs,  and  they  from  the  petty  chiefs,  and 
these  in  their  turn  sent  out  the  luna  or  overseer 
to  wring  tribute  from  the  people.  Hogs,  dogs, 
fish,  yams,  taro,  canoes,  mats,  were  all  subject 
to  demand  from  those  higher  up,  and  the  result 
was  that  often  there  was  very  little  left  for  the 
poor   peasants.    Stewart   tells   the   story   of   a 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  95 

family  who  had  secreted  and  fatted  a  pig,  and 
set  a  day  for  a  great  feast.  The  pig  was  baking, 
when  the  royal  caterer  smelled  the  savory  odor, 
walked  into  the  hut,  and  carried  off  the  smoking 
dainty  for  the  king's  table.  If  houses  were  to 
be  built  for  king  or  chiefs,  it  was  done  by  forced 
labor,  and  when  the  sandalwood  trade  sprang 
up  with  China,  these  labor  exactions  became  a 
great  burden.  The  most  careful  students  esti- 
mate that  fully  two-thirds  of  the  income  of  the 
common  people  was  absorbed  by  royalty,  the 
chiefs,  and  the  priests.  It  was  thought  by  some 
early  observers  of  the  differences  in  stature, 
ability,  and  even  color  existing  between  the  chiefs 
and  the  common  people  that  there  must  be  a 
difference  in  race.  But  so  careful  a  student  as 
Professor  Blackman  of  Yale  University  says  that 
chiefs  and  people  were  one  race.  The  chiefly 
family  represented  the  race  at  its  best,  well-fed, 
protected,  relieved  of  crushing  burdens,  and 
trained  to  self-respect  from  immemorial  times, 
while  the  common  folk  showed  what  were 
the  physical  effects  of  hunger,  exposure,  toil, 
tyranny,  and  slavish  fear. 

Religious  Beliefs.  —  The  early  Hawaiians  were 
polytheists.  For  wind,  thunder,  lightning,  moun- 
tains, trees,  and  living  creatures  there  were 
deities  innumerable.  No  death  was  conceived 
of  as  natural,  but  as  caused  by  supernatural 
agencies.  All  trades  had  their  special  deities, 
and  numberless  were  the  fetiches  and  degrading 
superstitions.  Among  the  thousands  of  minor 
divinities  there  were  three  great  gods — Kane,  Ku, 


96  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

and  Lono.  Kane  was  the  beneficent  deity  and 
hence  received  scant  worship ;  Ku,  the  power  of 
darkness,  was  propitiated  in  many  bloody  rites, 
and  Lono  was  most  intimately  associated  with 
human  life.  Captain  Cook  was  at  first  wor- 
shipped as  a  theophany  of  Lono.  These  gods 
were  worshipped  in  a  multitude  of  hideous  idols 
and  through  rites  connected  with  the  temples. 
The  number  of  the  temples  or  heiaus  was  very 
great.  Ellis  says  that  in  a  single  day's  journey 
he  counted  nineteen  heiaus  to  seven  hundred 
houses.  Some  of  these  temples  were  very  large. 
Cheever  measured  one  nearly  three  hundred  feet 
long,  with  sloping  walls  twenty  feet  high  and 
thirty  feet  thick  at  the  base.  The  great  high 
priest  kept  the  war  god,  and  was  very  close  to 
the  king  of  the  island.  The  priests,  too,  had  the 
power  to  pick  out  the  victims  for  the  human 
sacrifices.  These  victims  were  offered  when  a 
temple  was  dedicated,  a  war  canoe  launched,  a 
house  built  for  the  king,  sickness  to  be  averted, 
or  a  king  to  be  buried.  When  there  were  de- 
structive eruptions  of  Kilauea,  human  beings 
were  thrown  into  the  awful  crater  to  appease 
the  goddess  Pele,  supposed  to  have  her  dwelling 
in  the  great  volcano. 

Tabu.  —  The  priests  cemented  their  power 
over  the  people  by  a  system  of  tabu,  common 
to  many  Polynesian  peoples,  but  brought  to  a 
highly  developed  system  in  Hawaii.  It  was  a 
system  of  prohibitions,  both  religious  and  politi- 
cal, of  most  strenuous  sort.  To  violate  tabu  was 
both  a  sin  and  a  crime,  and  was  punished  with 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  97 

death.  The  temples,  idols,  and  persons  of  the 
great  chiefs  were  always  tabu,  and  not  to  be 
touched.  Any  place  or  object  might  be  declared 
tabu  by  proclamation  or  by  fastening  to  it  some 
emblem.  When  once  tabued,  it  was  death  to 
break  the  tabu.  The  choicest  hunting  grounds, 
the  best  fishing  places,  the  most  fertile  lands,  were 
tabu  to  all  except  the  chiefs  and  priests,  and  they 
always  managed  to  keep  the  best  for  themselves. 
In  this  respect  they  were  not  so  different  from 
more  civilized  people,  but  that  is  another  story. 
Sometimes  a  special  season  of  tabu  was  ordained 
by  the  powers  that  preyed.  Then,  woe  to  the 
man  who  lighted  fire  or  left  his  home  for  work. 
In  dread  silence  the  people  cowered.  No  dog 
must  bark,  no  cock  must  crow,  no  pig  must 
grunt,  lest  the  gods  be  angry  and  the  black  tabu 
fail  to  appease  their  wrath.  The  tabu  fell 
heaviest,  of  course,  on  the  women.  The  chiefs 
and  priests  united  to  deny  the  commoners  the 
privileges  they  wished  for  themselves.  The 
men,  in  turn,  found  tabu  a  fine  weapon  to  use 
for  keeping  most  of  the  good  things  in  life  away 
from  the  women.  No  matter  how  exalted  her 
rank,  no  woman  might  eat  bananas  or  cocoa- 
nuts,  pork  or  turtle.  She  might  never  eat  with 
her  husband  nor  in  the  presence  of  men.  Girls 
were  trained  to  regard  all  tabued  foods  as 
poisonous  to  them,  and  any  infraction  of  the 
rules  was  punished  by  death. 

Superstitions.  —  Says  S.  E.  Bishop :  "  The 
Hawaiian  pantheon  was  embodied  diabolism. 
A  loathsome  filthiness  is  not  mere  incident,  but 


98  CmilSTUS  REDEMPTOR 

forms  the  groundwork  of  character  not  merely 
of  the  great  hog  god,  Kamapuaa,  but  even  of 
the  more  humanlike  Ku  and  Kane  of  the  chief 
trinity.  The  ceremonies  of  the  Hawaiian  reli- 
gion cannot  be  described,  most  of  them,  for  very 
shame.  The  dances,  sacrifices,  and  orgies  were 
expressions  of  the  lowest  and  worst  passions. 
In  the  religion  of  the  Hawaiians  is  seen  the 
curious  spectacle  of  one  of  the  most  mirthful, 
kindly,  and  careless  people  evolving  a  complex 
and  sombre  religion  in  which  they  submitted 
themselves  to  the  sway  of  malignant  and  degraded 
deities,  hideous  idols,  and  bloody  and  burden- 
some ceremonials.  Alexander  and  Blackman 
both  remark  with  surprise  that  toward  the  wor- 
ship of  the  heavenly  bodies,  so  bright  and 
marvellous  in  their  tropical  skies,  they  seem  to 
have  been  drawn  not  at  all.  The  weight  of 
sorcery,  witchcraft,  and  divination  bore  heaviest 
of  all  on  the  people.  The  sorcerers  believed 
that  they  could  pray  people  to  death,  and  such 
was  the  superstitious  terror  that  they  actually 
could.  It  is  related  of  a  great  sorcerer  that  he 
threatened  to  pray  a  white  man  to  death,  when 
the  white  man  answered  that  he  too  could  pray ! 
The  sorcerer  believing  that  the  white  man's  god 
was  more  powerful,  and  that  he  was  actually 
using  black  arts  against  him,  sank  into  blank 
despair,  refused  food,  and  so  died.  The  sorcerers 
always  tried  to  obtain  from  their  intended  victims 
remnants  of  their  food,  portions  of  clothing, 
nail  parings,  or  exuviae  of  the  body.  Hence 
natives  were  very  careful  to  allow  none  of  these 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  99 

things  where  a  possible  enemy  might  seize  them 
to  the  owner's  disadvantage." 

The  Family.  —  The  relations  of  the  sexes  in 
Hawaii  were  on  a  very  low  plane.  Unchastity 
was  common,  and  there  was  little  idea  of  the 
sanctity  of  marriage.  Among  the  chiefs  mar- 
riage among  near  relatives  was  customary,  and 
the  punaluan  family  was  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent the  practice  among  the  people.  Marriage 
tenure  was  very  uncertain,  depending  upon 
the  caprice  of  the  husband.  Conjugal  love  was 
weak,  the  practice  of  infanticide  so  common,  that 
Ellis  reckons  that  two-thirds  of  the  children  of 
the  common  people  were  destroyed  in  infancy. 
The  position  of  woman  was  decidedly  inferior. 
At  birth  she  was  more  unwelcome,  and  more 
liable  to  be  thrust  alive  into  her  grave,  than  was 
her  brother.  She  was  excluded  from  the  in- 
terior of  the  temple.  Her  tasks  were  menial. 
Her  ideas  of  chastity  exceedingly  primitive. 
Says  Blackman,  after  a  careful  examination  of 
all  the  authorities,  "  Taken  together  the  native 
and  acquired  unchastity  of  the  people  had 
brought  them  to  such  a  condition  before  the 
arrival,  in  1820,  of  the  first  missionaries,  as 
beggars  and  befouls  description." 

Race  Decay.  —  It  is  perhaps  best  in  this  con- 
nection to  speak  of  the  race  decay  that  has  been 
and  is  one  of  the  saddest  features  in  connection 
with  the  Hawaiian  story.  In  1778  Cook  esti- 
mated, it  may  be  too  extravagantly,  the  num- 
ber of  Hawaiians  at  four  hundred  thousand. 
Vancouver,  in    1792,   said   that  the   difference 


100  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

observable  since  his  first  visit  (with  Captain 
Cook  in  1778)  was  an  apparent  depopulation. 
He  ascribed  this  extraordinary  diminution  to 
"incessant  war."  In  1823  the  missionaries  esti- 
mated the  number  at  one  hundred  and  forty- 
two  thousand;  the  census  of  1830  gave  it  as  one 
hundred  and  thirty  thousand  three  hundred  and 
thirteen,  in  1853  it  had  shrunk  to  seventy  thou- 
sand and  thirty-six,  in  1884  to  forty  thousand 
and  fourteen,  and  in  1896  to  thirty-one  thousand 
and  nineteen.  Meantime  a  group  of  part- 
Hawaiians  had  been  increasing  from  nine  hun- 
dred and  eighty-three  in  1853  to  eight  thousand 
four  hundred  and  eighty-five  in  1896.  While 
the  ratio  of  decrease  has  been  somewhat  checked 
during  the  last  census  period,  the  figures  point 
to  the  gradual  extinction  of  the  pure-blood 
Hawaiians.  It  is  often  assumed  that  the  sole 
cause  of  this  decrease  is  the  contact  of  a  nature 
people  with  civilization,  but  this  view  is  not 
sustained  by  a  consideration  of  all  the  facts. 
The  Marquesans,  like  the  Hawaiians,  are  rapidly 
tending  to  extinction.  But  the  Samoans,  the 
Tongans,  the  Fijians,  and  the  Gilbert  Islanders, 
on  the  contrary,  are  increasing.  The  Tahitians, 
moreover,  after  many  years  of  decline,  have  been 
for  years  stationary  and  are  now  said  to  be  gain- 
ing in  numbers.  Aside  from  the  introduction 
of  corrupting  vices  and  of  intoxicants  through 
contact  with  civilization,  there  are  two  causes 
of  race  decay  that  have  been  operative  since  our 
first  knowledge  of  the  Hawaiians.  The  birth- 
rate is  very  low  and  death-rate  proportionately 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  101 

high.  The  genealogies  given  by  Fornander 
seem  to  indicate  small  families  as  the  early  and 
continuing  rule.  Thus,  "  Kalaniopuu  had  ac 
different  times  of  his  life  six  wives;  one  of  them 
was  childless,  one  bore  two  sons,  and  the  other 
four  had  each  one  child."  About  twenty  years 
after  the  landing  of  the  missionaries  it  was  re- 
corded that  the  missionary  families  averaged 
six  and  five-ninths  children  each,  while  twenty 
chiefs  had  nineteen  children  between  them. 
In  1839  a  careful  census  made  in  Kauai  showed 
that  of  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-nine  grown 
women,  only  sixty-five  were  mothers  of  three 
or  more  children.  The  causes  of  this  low  birth- 
rate were  the  sexual  immorality  and  excesses 
begun  at  a  very  early  age,  and  the  avoidance 
and  prevention  of  parenthood.  The  viability 
(death-rate)  of  the  natives  has  always  been  ex- 
cessive. Blackman  enumerates  six  causes  for 
this:  (1)  Venereal  disease.  (2)  Infectious  or 
contagious  maladies.  (3)  Excessive  use  of  in- 
toxicants. (4)  Change  of  physical  and  psychical 
habit.  (5)  Leprosy,  and  (6)  Kahuna  practice. 
Gerland  ("  Ueber  das  Aussterben  der  Natur- 
volker,"  p.  118)  says:  u  The  Polynesians  have 
for  the  most  part  destroyed  themselves,  first  by 
their  measureless  sexual  excesses;  secondly,  by 
the  practice  of  infanticide  so  frightfully  preva- 
lent among  them;  thirdly,  by  the  sanguinary 
and  devastating  wars  which  they  waged  among 
themselves;  fourthly,  by  the  severe  oppression 
of  the  common  people  by  the  ruling  classes; 
and  fifthly,  by  the  slight  value  attached  by  them 


102  CHRIST  US  REDEMPTOR 

to  human  life.  They  were  already  in  process 
of  extinction  when  civilization  came  among 
them." 

To  somewhat  offset  this  dark  picture  it  should 
be  said  that  the  modern  germ  theory  of  disease 
affords  good  grounds  to  believe  that  the  fright- 
ful mortality  of  measles,  small-pox,  and  the  like, 
when  first  introduced  among  these  races,  will  di- 
minish as  has  been  the  case  among  civilized  peo- 
ple, a  race  becoming  comparatively  immune 
through  successive  generations  of  exposure.  With 
better  sanitation,  precautions  in  regard  to  infec- 
tion, more  stringent  laws  regarding  the  importation 
of  morphine  and  intoxicants,  it  is  hoped  that 
the  progress  of  race  decay  may  be  arrested.  In 
fact,  observations  made  in  many  localities  seem 
to  point  to  the  conclusion  that  in  some  cases 
the  bottom  has  been  reached,  and  that  already 
conditions  are  beginning  to  improve.  One  fact, 
at  least,  is  becoming  clear,  that  in  all  the  welter 
of  causes  that  have  been  bringing  about  the  de- 
cay of  the  island  peoples,  the  introduction  of 
the  gospel  and  its  acceptance  by  the  people  even 
to  some  degree  have  been  everywhere  and  always 
forces  tending  to  arrest  the  progress  of  race 
destruction.'  It  should  not  be  overlooked  that 
side  by  side  with  the  diminishing  pure-blood 
Hawaiian,  there  is  developing  a  new  mixed  race, 
largely  through  intermarriage  with  the  Chinese, 
that  is  in  many  ways  superior  to  the  parent  race. 

The  Coming  of  the  White  Man. —In  1778, 
Captain  Cook,  the  famous  navigator,  sailing 
across  the  wide  Pacific,  came  upon  this  group  of 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  103 

noble  islands,  unseen  before,  as  he  supposed, 
by  the  eye  of  civilized  man.  Recent  investiga- 
tions seem  to  establish  the  very  strong 
probability  that  they  had  actually  been  dis- 
covered by  the  ubiquitous  Spaniards,  and  that 
long  before,  in  1528,  a  Spanish  ship  had  been 
wrecked  off  the  islands,  its  captain  and  his  sister 
saved  alive  to  intermarry  with  the  natives. 
Whatever  European  contact  there  might  have 
been  had  long  since  faded  from  the  native  recol- 
lection, and  when  they  saw  the  picturesque  sails 
in  the  offing,  and  the  pale  faces  of  the  sailors, 
they  believed  the  gods  were  indeed  come  to 
earth.  When  the  great  navigator,  Captain  Cook, 
came  on  shore,  they  received  him  with  honors 
befitting  a  god.  The  king  came  to  welcome  the 
god  Lono  back  to  his  rightful  domains,  placing 
on  his  head  a  royal  feather  helmet,  and  throwing 
about  his  shoulders  the  priceless  mantle  of 
golden  feathers.  Other  gifts  were  brought, 
among  them  six  of  these  feather  mantles,  worth 
not  less,  they  tell  us,  than  a  million  dollars.  For 
the  thousands  of  bright  golden  feathers  that  made 
each  cloak  must  be  collected,  two  by  two,  from  the 
wings  of  a  rare  bird.  In  return  for  all  these  gifts 
of  price,  Captain  Cook  gave  a  white  shirt  and 
a  windlass.  For  about  one  hundred  days  the 
white-faced  strangers  stayed  in  their  winged 
ships  at  the  green  islands.  Fateful  days 
they  were  for  the  wondering  Hawaiians.  Their 
first  glimpse  of  a  sea-going  ship,  a  white  face, 
fire-arms,  strange  clothing,  marvellous  tools, 
a  new  language, — their  first  message  from  Mars, 


104  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

in  short,  What  might  it  have  meant,  I  wonder, 
if  the  white  men  had  all  brought  the  message 
that  the  angels  sang  long  ago,  —  if  the  white- 
winged  ships  and  the  white-faced  men  had  really- 
brought  purity  and  goodness  and  the  will  and 
power  to  help  and  teach.  It's  not  pleasant 
reading,  the  story  of  those  hundred  days.  The 
worship  was  accepted  without  protest;  the 
princely  gifts  were  taken.  Vile  pagan  cere- 
monials were  joined  in  by  the  visitors,  but  the 
religious  scruples  of  the  natives  violated  by  the 
breaking  of  the  tabu  and  pillaging  the  temple?. 
Each  sailor  was  given  a  native  wife,  and  to 
Captain  Cook  was  assigned  the  daughter  of  a 
chieftain.  The  fresh  awe  and  wonder  of  the 
natives  faded  away  as  they  saw  a  sailor  die,  a 
mere  man  like  themselves.  Constant  exactions 
and  brutality  angered  them;  and  when  Captain 
Cook  sought  to  dragoon  their  king  on  board  as 
hostage  for  a  stolen  boat,  they  killed  him,  and 
found  that  he  too  was  a  man,  weak  and  erring. 
Visit  of  Metcalf .  —  For  seven  years  after  the 
death  of  Captain  Cook,  no  European  visited  the 
islands.  In  1789  an  American,  Captain  Met- 
calf, made  a  visit  not  greatly  to  our  credit.  In 
return  for  some  sort  of  native  dereliction, — 
probably  not  to  be  wondered  at  after  their 
experience  with  Captain  Cook,  —  he  acted  with 
true  Anglo-Saxon  cruelty  and  lack  of  insight. 
He  beat  with  the  rope's  end  one  of  the  Hawaiian 
chiefs,  thus  wounding  the  deepest  sentiment  of 
the  islanders,  —  their  worship  of  royalty,  — 
and  fired  a  broadside  of  cannon  into  the  canoes 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  105 

massed  along  the  side  of  the  ship  for  barter. 
A  hundred  natives  were  killed  and  multitudes 
wounded.  And  yet,  there  are  some  who  think 
that  Americans  owe  no  debt  to  the  Hawaiians. 
A  century  of  self-abnegating  service  could  hardly 
wipe  out  the  stain  of  that  first  insolent  and  brutal 
outrage.  The  survivors  retaliated  by  destroy- 
ing the  smaller  of  the  two  boats,  killing  the  cap- 
tain's young  son  in  command,  and  all  the  crew 
except  two  men,  Isaac  Davis  and  John  Young. 
These  two  men,  as  we  shall  see,  were  destined 
to  wield  a  great  influence  with  the  island  people. 
Visit  of  Vancouver.  —  Three  times  during  the 
years  1792-1794  the  islands  were  visited  by  an- 
other great  explorer,  Vancouver,  who  did  much 
to  undo  the  evil  wrought  by  the  visit  of  Captain 
Cook.  In  his  clear,  substantial,  and  modest 
accounts  of  his  visits  is  reflected  the  spirit  of  a 
noble  man.  He  set  ashore  the  first  sheep  and 
cattle,  and  got  a  tabu  put  upon  them  for  ten 
years  that  they  might  increase,  and  induced 
the  king  to  provide  that  of  their  flesh  women 
might  eat  as  well  as  men.  He  laid  the  keel  of 
the  first  sailing  vessel,  introduced  oranges,  grapes, 
and  lemons,  discouraged  the  incessant  wars  that 
were  devastating  the  people,  explained  to  them 
like  a  brave  Christian  gentleman  the  real  mean- 
ing of  the  gospel  as  contrasted  with  their  bondage 
of  fear  and  superstition,  and  foretold  to  them 
the  coming  of  teachers,  of  industries,  and  of  a 
better  religion.  He  requested  from  William  Pitt, 
the  Prime  Minister  of  England  that  Christian 
teachers  be  sent ;  but  the  request  was  disregarded 


106  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

He  found  the  natives  suspicious,  hostile,  and 
embittered.  He  so  gained  their  confidence  and 
esteem  that  they  voluntarily  ceded  the  islands 
to  Great  Britain,  with  certain  reservations  of 
power.  It  is  interesting  to  conjecture  what 
changes  there  might  have  been  in  the  history  of 
the  islands,  had  England  accepted  the  princely 
gift  by  ratifying  the  cession  of  territory. 

Work  of  Kamehameha  I.  —  We  have  spoken 
of  the  influence  exerted  by  Young  and  Davis. 
When  these  two  young  Americans  were  so 
strangely  preserved  in  these  far-off  islands,  a 
most  remarkable  ruler  was  in  the  very  prime  of 
life,  Kamehameha  I.  He  had  inherited  a  petty 
chieftaincy  and  had  conceived  the  idea  of  uniting 
all  the  islands  in  one  powerful  state.  He  had 
great  qualities  to  match  his  ambitions, — patience, 
a  strong  will,  a  powerful  intellect,  tact,  good 
judgment,  an  intuitive  insight  into  human 
nature,  and  magnetism  in  bending  all  wills  to 
his  own.  When  one  adds  to  these  qualities  a 
splendid  courage  and  a  magnificent  physique 
that  no  privations  could  weaken,  we  have  the 
picture  of  a  natural  king  of  men.  He  was  in 
the  full  tide  of  his  wars  of  conquest  when  Isaac 
Davis  and  John  Young  were  left  alive  as  the 
sole  representatives  of  western  civilization  on 
the  island.  Great  credit  is  due  these  two  young 
Americans  that  they  did  not  sink  to  the  level 
of  the  barbarians  about  them,  but  were  rather 
stimulated  and  steadied  by  the  responsibilities 
laid  upon  them.  They  were  made  chiefs,  and 
became  intimate  counsellors  of  the  king.    They 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  107 

instructed  the  king  in  the  laws  and  customs  of 
the  West,  gave  him  new  ideas  of  humanity  and 
justice,  and  powerfully  assisted  him  in  the  long 
wars  of  subjugation  which  ensued.  Their  in- 
fluence was  cast  on  the  side  of  law,  justice,  and 
order.  Some  of  their  descendants  are  still 
living  on  the  islands.  The  great  king  died  in 
1819,  just  before  the  coming  of  the  missionaries. 
Coming  of  the  Missionaries.  —  To  explain  the 
story  of  the  coming  of  the  missionaries,  we  must 
go  back  a  little  to  the  story  of  a  Hawaiian  boy. 
He  was  found  one  morning  in  1809  weeping 
upon  the  steps  of  Yale  College.  The  lad  was 
Obookiah,  a  clumsy,  dull-looking  boy  of  seven- 
teen, who  gave  little  hint  of  the  keen  mind  and 
wonderful  character  that  later  were  to  be  his. 
Five  years  before  he  had  escaped  in  a  native 
war  in  which  his  father,  mother,  and  little  brother 
were  killed.  He  had  shipped  with  a  kind-hearted 
American  captain,  to  work  his  passage  to  this 
country.  The  captain  took  him  to  his  own 
home  in  New  Haven,  where  the  boy's  mind 
was  powerfully  stimulated  by  all  that  he  saw 
and  heard  around  him.  A  consuming  desire 
for  the  education  that  seemed  so  hopelessly  out 
of  his  reach  awoke  within  him,  and  it  was  in  a 
moment  of  despair  that  he  was  found  as  we  have 
said.  Kind  friends  were  raised  up,  and  his 
education  provided  for.  Samuel  J.  Mills,  who 
had  roused  such  interest  in  foreign  missions  in 
Williams  College,  became  interested  in  Obookiah. 
He  received  a  thorough  education  and  was  pre- 
paring to  go  as  a  missionary  to  his  own  people, 


108  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

when  he  was  stricken  with  typhoid  fever  and 
died.  His  character,  earnestness,  and  eloquence 
had  made  a  deep  impression  on  many  minds; 
and  hearing  of  his  death,  Hiram  Bingham,  a 
student  at  Andover,  at  once  offered  to  go  in  his 
stead.  Asa  Thurston  joined  him,  together  with 
a  physician,  a  farmer,  a  printer,  and  two  teachers, 
and  they  were  organized  into  a  church  in  Bos- 
ton, October  15,  1819.  These  with  their  wives 
and  three  Hawaiian  students  made  up  the  mis- 
sionary party  of  seventeen,  who  set  sail  from 
Boston  in  the  brig  Thaddeus  in  1819. 

Overthrow  of  Idolatry.  —  While  Obookiah 
had  been  studying,  and  the  missionary  movement 
gathering  force  in  the  United  States,  events  had 
been  moving  rapidly  in  Hawaii.  When  the  mis- 
sionaries landed  they  were  met  with  the  tidings 
of  the  overthrow  of  idolatry  and  the  abolish- 
ment of  the  tabu.  These  astonishing  changes 
had  come  about  through  several  causes. 

The  strong,  steadfast  influence  of  John  Young 
had  been  exerted  during  all  the  years  of  his  exile 
in  opposition  to  idolatry,  tabu,  and  the  ex- 
cesses of  the  people.  Notions  of  liberty  could 
not  but  be  brought  to  the  people's  minds,  how- 
ever vaguely,  through  the  visits  of  the  trading 
ships  of  the  whites,  and  thus  the  burdensome 
restrictions  of  the  tabu  and  other  oppressions 
be  made  obnoxious  to  the  people.  And  finally 
we  may  trace  once  more  the  wonderful  wide- 
spreading  waves  of  influence  from  Tahiti  that 
we  have  found  throughout  the  island  world. 
Tidings  had  come  to  Hawaii  of  the  overthrow 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  109 

of  the  idols  in  Tahiti  and  the  turning  of  the  whole 
people  to  Christianity.  The  king  had  made  many 
inquiries  concerning  this  change  and  the  nature 
of  Christianity.  When  the  death  of  the  great 
king  occurred,  all  the  conditions  were  ripe  for  the 
overthrow  of  the  superstitious  customs  that  had 
so  long  bound  the  nation. 

Three  of  the  wives  of  Kamehameha  I.  had 
secretly  resolved  to  break  the  tabu,  and  seized 
the  opportunity  of  the  orgies  attending  the  death 
of  the  king  to  break  away  from  immemorial 
custom  by  eating  food  with  men,  and  food  pro- 
scribed to  women.  Keopuolani,  mother  of  the 
new  king,  and  Liholiho,  ate  publicly  with  the 
king's  younger  brother,  and  Kaahumanu  per- 
suaded the  king  himself  to  break  tabu  by  publicly 
feasting  with  the  women  of  his  family.  When 
the  people,  looking  on  in  awe  and  terror,  saw  that 
no  evil  followed,  they  shouted,  "  The  tabus  are 
broken,"  "The  idols  are  a  lie !"  The  high  priest 
himself  first  applied  the  torch  to  the  temples 
and  began  the  work  of  destroying  the  hideous, 
filthy  images. 

Beginnings  of  Missionary  Work.  —  In  spite  of 
the  overthrow  of  idolatry  the  missionaries  found 
that  it  was  no  easy  task  to  secure  an  opening. 
Unprincipled  white  traders  tried  to  persuade 
the  king  that  they  were  bent  on  warlike  errands, 
and  that  in  Tahiti  they  had  enslaved  the  people. 
The  better  counsels  of  such  men  as  Young  and 
Davis  prevailed,  however,  and  the  missionaries 
were  permitted  to  land  and  to  remain  one  year 
on  trial.     It  is  good  for  us  in  these  easier  times 


110  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

to  think  of  the  hardships  that  these  missionaries 
faced.  The  revolting  indecencies,  the  actual 
privations,  the  terrible  isolation,  they  had  per- 
haps expected;  but  to  these  were  added  dangers 
and  difficulties  far  more  trying  and  depressing. 
The  malign  and  unscrupulous  elements  of  the 
foreign  population  ceased  not  night  nor  day  in 
their  attempts  to  injure  and  destroy  the  work  of 
the  missionaries.  The  series  of  outrages  at  La- 
haina  and  Honolulu  need  not  here  be  described. 
Competent  and  unprejudiced  testimony  of  such 
eye-witnesses  as  Captain  Beechey  and  Commo- 
dore Wilkes  is  abundant  to  prove  that  there 
were  not  wanting  naval  officers  and  consular 
representatives  of  European  governments  who 
joined  in  the  attempts  made  by  runaway  seamen, 
idlers,  tavern-keepers,  traders,  gamblers,  and 
procurers,  to  debauch  the  natives  and  counteract 
all  the  labors  of  the  missionaries  in  safeguard- 
ing the  rights  and  morals  of  the  people.  To  all 
these  difficulties  and  discouragements  were 
added  the  subtler  opposition  of  superstition  and 
ignorance.  Would  they  teach  virtue,  —  the  lan- 
guage lacked  the  word  for  chastity  or  gratitude, 
as  it  did  that  for  weather,  having  no  occasion 
to  use  any  of  them.  Did  they  celebrate  the 
Eucharist,  —  they  were  drinking  the  blood  of 
human  victims.  Did  they  start  to  build  a 
church,  —  suspicion  and  terror  were  aroused. 
But  in  spite  of  all  these  obstacles,  the  growth 
of  the  new  teaching  was  amazing.  In  1822  a 
book  was  printed  in  the  Hawaiian  language, 
and  Christian  marriage  was  celebrated. 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  111 

The  language  had  been  quickly  reduced  to 
writing  by  the  help  of  an  English  missionary, 
who  came  two  years  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Thaddeus,  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  mission- 
aries from  being  sent  away.  The  evil  foreign 
population  had  tried  to  poison  the  mind  of  the 
king  by  saying  that  the  missionaries  were  Ameri- 
cans, anyway,  and  that  Vancouver  had  foretold 
that  English  missionaries  should  come,  and  that 
if  the  king  allowed  them  to  stay,  the  great  king 
Beritanni  (Britain)  would  no  longer  be  friendly 
to  the  Hawaiians.  By  the  coming  of  the  ship 
with  Dr.  Ellis  and  a  party  of  English  missionaries 
on  board,  they  were  assured  that  the  English 
king  was  a  very  good  brother  of  the  Americans ; 
and  from  the  mouths  of  the  two  Tahitian  chiefs 
who  were  also  on  board,  they  learned  glow- 
ing accounts  of  the  fruits  of  missions  on  Tahiti. 
With  the  help  of  Dr.  Ellis,  the  work  of  translation 
and  education  went  on  rapidly.  The  king  issued 
a  proclamation  ordering  every  one  to  attend  the 
mission  schools;  and  in  six  years  there  were 
schools  everywhere,  with  four  hundred  teachers 
and  twenty-five  thousand  pupils. 

Early  Converts.  —  From  the  mass  of  romantic 
stories  about  the  early  converts  it  is  possible  to 
select  only  a  few.  Puaaiki  was  a  disreputable 
blind  dancer  who  was  administered  to  in  an 
illness  by  one  of  the  Hawaiian  boys  who  had 
come  back  from  the  United  States  with  the 
missionaries.  He  listened  to  the  teaching,  be- 
lieved, and  everywhere  proclaimed  the  truth, 
becoming  one  of  the  most  eloquent  preachers 


112  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

on  the  islands.  The  queen-mother,  Keopuo- 
lani,  studied  English  diligently  that  she  might 
read  the  Bible,  not  yet  translated  into  the 
Hawaiian  tongue.  She  was  the  first  baptized 
convert  on  the  islands.  The  queen  Kameha- 
maru  likewise  became  a  devout  Christian,  and 
endowed  the  first  school  in  Honolulu.  But  the 
greatest  personality  among  these  queen  converts 
was  the  dowager  queen  of  the  island  of  Oahu, 
Kaahumanu,  another  of  the  surviving  consorts 
of  Kamehameha  I.  While  Keopuolani  had  been 
the  chief  wife  of  the  great  king  (herself  the  grand- 
daughter of  the  king  who  had  received  Captain 
Cook),  yet  Kaahumanu  (Feather  mantle)  had 
been  his  favorite  wife.  She  was  a  strong,  pow- 
erful woman,  of  marked  individuality  and  very 
great  influence  among  all  classes.  In  1824  she 
was  made  regent  of  the  kingdom  by  the  young 
King  Liholiho.  All  her  immense  energy  and 
authority  became  enlisted  in  the  spread  of  the 
gospel.  "  The  new  Kaahamanu,"  the  people 
called  her  when  they  saw  the  passionate,  im- 
perious, savage  queen  transformed  into  the 
loving  and  devoted  mother  of  her  people. 
Though  fifty  years  of  age,  she  determined  to 
learn  to  read  and  write,  and  took  her  place  with 
her  subjects  in  submitting  to  an  examination. 
The  story  oftenest  told,  however,  and  most 
dearly  loved  is  that  of  a  high  chieftess,  Kapio- 
lani,  ruler  in  her  own  right  of  a  large  province 
in  Hawaii.  She  seems  to  have  received  the 
news  of  a  better  way  as  simply  and  humbly  as 
a  child.     She  put  away  all  but  one  of  her  hus- 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  113 

bands,  gave  up  her  gambling  and  drinking, 
and  threw  her  whole  heart  into  the  elevation 
of  her  people.  She  destroyed  idols  with  her 
own  hands,  founded  schools,  and  although  long 
worshipped  as  divine  by  a  servile  people,  be- 
came the  tender  minister  of  the  sick  and  suffer- 
ing in  her  country,  going  freely  into  the  poorest 
hovels.  By  one  great,  heroic  act  she  crowned 
her  life,  and  proved  herself  one  of  the  immortals. 

Kapiolani's  Visit  to  Pele.  —  Though  idolatry 
had  been  officially  overthrown,  it  still  lived  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people.  It  will  even  now  take 
many  generations  before  the  old  baleful  super- 
stitions wholly  lose  their  power.  In  the  district 
where  Kapiolani  ruled,  the  goddess  Pel6,  who 
had  her  abode  in  the  frightful  depths  of  the 
burning  crater  in  the  island,  was  the  special 
terror  of  the  people.  In  December,  1824,  the 
queen  resolved  to  free  her  people  from  the  bond- 
age of  this  fear,  by  defying  the  goddess  in  her 
very  citadel.  She  had  to  make  a  terrible  journey 
on  foot,  a  hundred  miles  over  rough  lava  beds. 
Her  people,  weeping,  tried  to  dissuade  her.  Her 
husband  besought  her  not  to  go  to  her  death, 
but  her  faith  and  courage  never  wavered.  "There 
is  but  one  Great  God,"  she  said;  "  He  will  keep 
me  from  harm."  On  the  way  she  was  stopped 
again  and  again  and  implored  to  turn  back ;  but 
she  said,  "If  I  am  destroyed  you  may  all  believe 
in  Pele,  but  if  I  am  not,  you  must  all  turn  to  God." 

The  impression  made  by  this  awful  crater  of 
Kilauea,  upon  an  Englishwoman  of  our  own 
time,  may  help  to  bring  into  some  sort  of  reality 


114  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

the  courage  of  this  lonely  woman,  herself  barely 
out  of  heathenism.  Isabella  Bird  Bishop  says :  — 
"It  became  a  darkness  which  could  be  felt.  .  .  . 
We  smelled  the  pungency  of  the  sulphurous  fumes — 
a  sound  as  of  the  sea  broke  on  our  ears,  rising  and 
falling,  as  if  breaking  on  the  shore,  but  the  ocean  was 
thirty  miles  away.  The  heavens  became  redder  and 
brighter  .  .  .  clouds  of  red  vapor  mixed  with  flame 
were  circling  ceaselessly  out  of  a  vast,  invisible  pit  of 
blackness,  and  Kilauea  was  in  all  its  fiery  glory.  .  .  . 
Suddenly,  just  above  us,  and  in  front  of  us,  gory  drops 
were  tossed  in  air,  and  springing  forward  we  stood  on 
the  brink  ...  I  think  we  all  screamed,  I  know  we 
all  wept,  but  we  were  speechless,  for  a  new  glory  and  a 
new  terror  had  been  added  to  the  earth.  It  is  the 
most  unutterable  of  wonderful  things.  The  words  of 
common  speech  are  quite  useless.  It  was  unimagina- 
ble, indescribable;  a  sight  to  remember  forever.  .  .  . 
Here  was  the  real  '  bottomless  pit '  —  the  '  fire  of  which 
is  never  quenched '  —  the  '  lake  which  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone'  the  'everlasting  burnings/  the 
'fiery  sea  whose  waves  are  never  weary.'" 

All  this  the  shrinking  flesh  of  Kapiolani  faced; 
all  this  her  sublime  faith  overcame.  Eighty 
people  trembling  and  crying  followed  her  afar 
up  the  mountain.  Straight  to  the  brink  of  the 
crater  she  walked,  eating  the  sacred  berries, 
tabu  to  Pele.  Into  the  boiling  lake  she  flung 
stones,  defying  the  goddess.  Then  turning  to 
her  terrified  people,  she  said,  "Jehovah  is  my 
God,  I  fear  not  Pele.  He  kindled  these  fires. 
You  must  serve  and  fear  him."  Then  they 
knelt  and  prayed  in  the  uproar  of  the  crater,  and 
sang  a  Christian  hymn.  Returning  as  she  came, 
across  the  burning  crater  with  cracks  of  lava 
opening   at  her  feet,  and  showers  of    red-hot 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  115 

stones  hurled  about  her,  she  reached  the  edge 
of  the  crater,  calm  and  serene  under  the  pro- 
tection of  one  who  had  said,  "Thou  wilt  keep 
him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on 
thee,  because  he  trusteth  in  thee."  Carlyle 
pays  an  eloquent  tribute  to  Kapiolani  in  his 
life  of  Cromwell.  Her  act  has  been  compared 
to  that  of  Elijah  at  Carmel,  or  Boniface  in  cut- 
ting down  the  oak  sacred  to  Thor. 

The  Early  Church.  —  The  missionaries,  know- 
ing how  great  was  the  veneration  of  the  Ha- 
waiians  to  their  chieftains  and  king,  were  very 
careful  not  to  admit  to  the  church  all  who  were 
ready  to  adopt  the  new  faith  in  imitation  of 
their  great  folk.  They  realized  that  it  took  time 
to  get  any  real  glimmer  of  light  into  the  dark- 
ened minds  and  undeveloped  consciences.  In 
1825  there  were  only  ten  baptized  church  mem- 
bers, though  thousands  were  in  the  congrega- 
tions. In  1832,  ten  years  after  the  coming  of 
the  missionaries,  there  were  only  577  church 
members  in  all  the  islands.  At  last,  in  the  years 
from  1836-1839,  occurred  the  great  spiritual 
awakening  that  changed  the  Hawaiians  to  a 
nation  of  professing  Christians.  The  move- 
ment was  too  profound  for  ridicule  or  belittle- 
ment.  There  was  no  undue  excitement,  but 
like  men  perishing  of  thirst,  the  Hawaiians  re- 
ceived the  words  of  the  gospel.  In  four  years 
twenty  thousand  were  received  into  the  churches. 
From  this  great  awakening  came  movements 
that  transformed  the  social,  political,  and  indus- 
trial life  of  the  islands.    The  profound  stimulus 


116  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

of  the  new  spiritual  life  bade  fair  to  transform 
the  nation  radically  and  permanently.  But, 
alas!  as  in  the  parable  of  the  tares,  evil  was 
mingled  with  the  good.  Into  the  great  turbulent 
stream  of  the  world's  life  swung  the  little  craft 
guided  by  the  child's  hand  of  a  race  just  re- 
deemed from  barbarism.  Small  wonder  if 
there  were  stormy  days  for  the  Hawaiians.  If 
only  greed  and  lust  and  idle  selfishness  could 
have  sailed  by  the  lovely  islands,  and  left  the 
poor  children  to  the  good  missionaries'  kindly 
tutelage!  But  greed  came  and  evil  counsel 
and  political  oppression,  and  brought  with  them 
new  sins  and  evils  undreamed  of;  and  broke 
down  the  good  work,  if  they  could,  and  under- 
mined it  where  open  assault  was  impossible. 
The  deeds  of  the  white  man,  untouched  by 
faith  and  love,  make  so  black  a  story  in  the 
islands  of  the  Pacific,  that  the  least  we  can  do, 
in  very  shame,  is  to  give  all  that  we  can  in 
money  and  men,  in  schools  and  hospitals  and 
churches,  to  remedy  the  wrongs  our  race  has 
wrought. 

Civic  Reforms.  —  No  sketch  of  Hawaii 
would  be  complete  without  some  mention  of 
the  great  reforms  that  grew  directly  out  of  the 
work  of  Christian  missions,  and  were,  indeed, 
in  great  part  the  achievements  of  the  mission- 
aries themselves.  Says  Professor  Blackman: 
"For  nearly  fifty  years  from  the  landing  of  the 
first  missionaries  the  moral  improvement  of 
the  native  population  continued,  and  then  a 
retrogressive  movement   set  in  which  has  only 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  117 

just  now  been  checked,  if,  indeed,  it  does  not 
still  continue"   (Making  of  Hawaii,  p.  93). 

"Among  these  early  reforms  must  be  men- 
tioned one  in  regard  to  the  rights  of  property. 
When  the  missionaries  came,  theft  was  universal. 
The  chiefs,  when  they  found  that  this  brought 
them  into  disrepute,  took  servants  with  them 
when  they  visited  to  steal  while  they  engaged  the 
host  in  conversation.  .  .  .  Within  a  few  years 
valuables  might  be  left  exposed,  unprotected, 
day  or  night  in  many  parts  of  the  islands  with- 
out loss"  (Blackman,  p.  95). 

To  the  reform  of  social  impurity  which  was 
destroying  the  islands,  the  missionaries  devoted 
themselves  assiduously.  Great  changes  were 
wrought,  but  the  constant  contamination  of  the 
ports  was  such  that  impurity  remains  to-day  the 
great  moral  weakness  of  the  race.  Third  should 
be  mentioned  the  temperance  reform.  Kame- 
hameha  I.  had  been  addicted  to  the  vice  of  in- 
temperance, had  broken  away  from  it,  and  had 
made  strict  prohibitory  laws  which  were  'of  no 
avail.  In  1822  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that 
the  people  had  become  "a  nation  of  drunkards." 
With  the  coming  of  the  missionaries  stringent 
efforts  were  made,  new  laws  passed,  temperance 
societies  formed,  and  in  a  few  years  a  very  great 
improvement  was  noted.  In  1839  a  law  was 
passed  forbidding  the  importation  of  spirits, 
but  the  king  was  forced  by  the  French  govern- 
ment, under  threat  of  war,  to  import  the  brandy 
and  wine  of  that  country.  A  prohibitory  policy 
so  far  as  concerns  the  natives  had  been  followed 


118  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

up  to  1886,  when  a  general  license  law  was 
adopted  by  a  corrupt  and  incompetent  legislature. 
Since  that  time  the  increase  of  intemperance 
has  been  lamentable  (Blackman,  pp.  99,  104). 
Constitutional  Reforms.  — The  most  radical 
reforms  effected  had  to  do  with  constitutional 
rights.  In  1827  the  chiefs  in  council  made  the 
"first  body  of  regular  and  definite  laws  after, 
the  manner  of  civilized  nations."  In  1839 
Rev.  William  Richards  at  the  request  of  the 
king  gave  a  course  of  lectures  on  political 
science  and  became  adviser  in  state  affairs. 
Soon  after,  through  his  influence,  the  Bill  of 
Rights,  the  Constitution,  and  the  laws  were 
adopted.  The  Bill  of  Rights,  often  called  the 
Magna  Charta  of  Hawaii,  was  signed  in  1839. 
It  recognizes  the  inalienable  rights  of  the  people 
to  private  property  in  the  soil,  and  amounts 
to  an  abandonment  of  the  feudal  system.  The 
constitution  of  1840  was  a  crude  affair  as  might 
have  been  expected,  but  it  established  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  as  a  civilized  nation,  and  led 
to  their  recognition  as  such  by  the  United  States, 
France,  and  England.  Commodore  Wilkes  has 
called  it  "Among  the  most  obvious  benefits  of 
missionary  labors."  As  the  king  naively  said, 
"On  a  small  scale  I  am  trying  to  do  by  the 
blessing  of  God  what  Peter  the  Great  did  on  a 
large  scale."  The  laws  formed  after  the  con- 
stitution are  most  interesting.  A  volume  of 
these  laws  was  published  both  in  the  original 
and  in  translation  (1842)  before  any  lawyer  had 
set  foot  in  the  islands.    They  were  the  product 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  119 

of  the  native  mind,  under  the  stimulus  of 
Christian  teaching.  I  must  quote  some  of 
these   provisions :  — 

"When  a  man  is  tried  for  a  capital  offence,  he 
shall  not  be  condemned  to  die  unless  the  jury  is  per- 
fectly agreed.  But  in  trials  for  other  crimes  three- 
fourths  of  the  jury  shall  be  sufficient  to  decide  the 
case.  But  if  three-fourths  do  not  agree,  the  Judge 
shall  have  the  power  to  send  them  to  a  tight  room, 
shut  the  door,  set  a  guard,  and  confine  them  there 
until  three-fourths  of  them  are  agreed." 

Poll  taxes  were  to  be  paid  in  money  or  kind, 
but  "feeble  old  men  and  women  shall  not  be 
taxed  at  all."  The  land  tax  was  exceedingly 
quaint:  for  "a  large  farm  a  swine  one  fathom 
long;  a  smaller  one  a  swine  three  cubits  long. 
A  very  small  one,  —  a  swine  one  yard  long." 

The  law  covering  the  labor  tax  provided  that 
the  people  should  not  be  required  to  work  for 
the  king  and  the  chiefs  "on  every  week  in  the 
month." 

"The  first  week  of  the  month  the  people  shall 
work  two  days  for  the  King  and  one  for  the  landlords ; 
the  second  week  in  the  month  they  shall  work  one  day 
for  his  Majesty,  the  King,  and  two  days  for  the  land- 
lords, and  the  next  two  weeks  the  people  shall  have 
for  themselves." 

It  was,  however,  provided  that  the  sick,  the 
old  and  feeble,  and  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren be  exempt  from  the  land  tax.  The  first 
person  executed  for  a  capital  offence  under  the 
new  constitution  was  a  high  chief,  who  a  few 
years  before  would  have  been  above  all  law. 

Division    of    Lands.  —  Land    tenure    in    the 


120  CHRISTU8  REDEMPTOR 

Hawaiian  Islands  was  on  the  feudal  lines. 
Kamehameha  I.,  on  his  conquest  of  the  islands, 
had  divided  all  the  land  among  his  great  war 
chiefs,  after  retaining  his  own  portion.  Each 
chief  divided  his  land  anew  with  his  subordinate 
chiefs,  and  they  in  turn  to  their  followers,  until 
sometimes  five  or  six  sublettings  had  occurred. 
Following  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  in 
1840,  the  first  great  mahele  or  division  of  lands 
was  made  in  1848.  By  this  the  ancient  feudal 
system  was  replaced  by  the  principle  of  private 
allodial  property  in  land.  "Crown  lands"  were 
reserved  for  the  king;  "government  lands"  to 
the  government;  a  portion  to  the  landlords, 
and  allotments  in  severalty  to  the  people.  Over 
eleven  thousand  parcels  were  assigned  to  the 
peasantry  at  the  time,  and  later  the  most  de- 
sirable government  lands  were  divided  into  small 
lots,  and  sold  to  the  natives  for  a  nominal  sum, 
from  a  few  cents  to  two  or  three  dollars  per  acre. 
Professor  Alexander  says  that  at  least  three 
hundred  thousand  acres  were  disposed  of  in 
this  way.  The  missionaries  were  most  active 
in  this  whole  distribution  of  lands  to  see  that  the 
natives  were  not  imposed  upon  by  unscrupulous 
whites,  and  that  as  many  as  possible  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  new  privilege. 

Gradually,  however,  the  land  came  into  the 
possession  of  aliens,  the  natives  did  not  fully 
appreciate  the  privileges,  and  the  chiefs  fell  into 
habits  of  extravagance,  contracted  debts,  and 
mortgaged  their  lands  to  the  whites,  or  died 
intestate.     Careless  of  their  rights  and  interests, 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  121 

the  people  easily  sold  their  lands  to  white  pur- 
chasers; yet  in  1896  over  fifty  per  cent  of  the 
natives  owned  the  homes  in  which  .they  dwelt. 
Land,  to  the  amount  of  seven  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand  acres,  was  owned  by  natives 
and  half  castes;  while  more  than  a  million  acres 
had  passed  to  the  possession  of  the  whites. 
The  leases  under  which  the  government  lands 
are  held  by  large  corporations  as  they  expire 
—  all  of  them  by  1921 — will  be  replaced  by 
homestead  holdings,  through  the  sale  of  small 
pieces  of  land. 

Constitutional  Progress.  —  From  1840  to  1852 
the  first  constitution  remained  in  force,  save  for 
five  months,  when  the  islands  were  ceded  under 
pressure  to  Lord  George  Paulet,  and  the  British 
flag  hoisted.  The  coming  of  John  Record,  a 
young  American  lawyer,  in  1843,  brought  to 
the  islands  one  who  had  a  very  great  influence 
in  giving  shape  to  the  growing  and  poorly 
organized  institutions  of  the  Hawaiians.  The 
second  constitution,  that  of  1852,  was  drafted 
by  another  American,  who  exercised  a  profound 
influence  upon  the  Hawaiian  state,  Chief  Justice 
W.  L.  Lee.  This  shows  a  great  advance  on  the 
first  instrument.  It  remained  in  force  twelve 
years  until  abrogated  by  the  action  of  King 
Kamehameha  V.  He  believed  that  too  much 
power  had  been  given  to  the  people,  and  fearing 
the  growing  foreign  influence,  promulgated  a 
somewhat  reactionary  constitution  that  remained 
in  force  until  1887. 

Racial  Conflict.  — With  the  death  of  Kame- 


122  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

hameha  V.  in  1872,  the  line  of  kings  became 
extinct.  Lunalilo  was  elected  king,  but  died 
after  a  short  reign.  The  dowager  queen  Emma, 
widow  of  Kamehameha  IV.,  and  Prince  Kala- 
kaua  were  the  two  candidates.  Kalakaua  was 
elected  by  the  legislature  in  1874,  largely  through 
foreign  influence,  it  is  charged.  A  riot  followed 
that  had  to  be  quelled  by  British  and  American 
troops.  The  reciprocity  treaty  with  the  United 
States  which  had  been  one  of  the  issues  of  the 
election  was  then  signed,  and  added  much  to 
the  wealth  of  the  country.  Kalakaua  was 
wanting  in  ability,  dignity,  and  moral  fibre,  and 
under  the  intoxication  of  power  rapidly  relapsed 
into  barbarism.  His  reign  was  marked  by 
attempted  corruption  of  the  legislature,  usurpa- 
tion of  power,  and  the  encouragement  of  pagan 
customs.  The  king  realized  that  the  native 
churches  were  the  greatest  barrier  against  his 
usurpation  of  power  and  shameless  profligacy 
and  extravagance,  and  set  about  systematically 
demoralizing  them.  The  faithful  pastors  had 
their  influence  undermined  by  sorcerers  hired 
by  the  king,  their  support  cut  off,  and  at  the 
same  time  heavy  bribes  offered  if  they  would 
favor  the  king.  His  scheme  to  found  a  state 
church,  with  himself  as  "father,"  was  only 
thwarted  by  the  fiery  zeal  and  energy  of  Rev. 
J.  Waiman,  a  native  pastor  in  Honolulu.  When 
the  king  accepted  the  bribe  to  sell  the  license  for 
the  opium  traffic,  the  people  of  all  classes  rose  in 
protest,  and  in  a  tremendous  outpouring  of  popu- 
lar wrath  in   1887,   secured   the   proclamation 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  123 

of  a  revised  constitution  which  stripped  the 
king  of  many  of  his  arbitrary  powers.  From 
this  time  on  the  racial  antagonisms  in  the  islands 
became  acute.  The  people  did  not  trust  their 
king,  but  their  inborn  loyalty  and  reverence 
made  them  resent  the  white  influences  that  they 
felt  were  becoming  supreme.  Designing  whites 
used  this  suspicion  to  their  own  ends  in  con- 
tinually fanning  the  flame.  When,  in  1891, 
Kalakaua's  corrupt  and  corrupting  reign  came 
to  an  end,  his  sister  Liliuokalani  succeeded  to 
the  throne.  She  was  arbitrary  and  passionate, 
determined  to  revive  the  old  absolute  powers  if 
possible.  She  signed  bills  for  the  opium  traffic 
and  the  Louisiana  lottery,  and  undertook  to 
proclaim  a  new  constitution  that  would  give 
her  the  power  to  appoint  and  remove  the  judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  disfranchise  most  of 
the  whites.  The  little  kingdom  boiled  with  a 
passion  of  discontent;  the  population  was  di- 
vided into  a  multitude  of  little  cliques,  mutually 
suspicious  and  irreconcilable.  A  committee  of 
safety  was  organized,  a  provisional  government 
was  formed  which  should  seek  annexation  to 
the  United  States.  This  government  was  recog- 
nized by  the  governments  of  civilized  nations. 
During  1893  a  treaty  of  annexation  was  par- 
tially negotiated  with  the  Harrison  administra- 
tion, but  was  withdrawn  by  President  Cleveland, 
on  the  ground  that  American  officials  and  troops' 
had  aided  in  the  dethronement  of  the  queen. 
In  1894  on  the  4th  of  July,  a  republic  was  pro- 
claimed  in    Honolulu,    and   Sanford   B.    Dole 


124  CHEISTUB  REDEMPTOE 

elected  President.  The  annexation  sentiment 
steadily  grew  in  the  islands  as  the  only  solution 
of  the  constant  dangers  from  royalist  plots  and 
the  aggressions  of  powerful  nations.  In  1897  a 
treaty  of  annexation  was  unanimously  ratified  in 
the  Hawaiian  legislature,  and  in  1898  the  islands 
were  finally  accepted  by  the  United  States. 

Education.  —  There  were  two  teachers  in  the 
first  band  of  missionaries,  and  from  the  very 
beginning  the  work  of  education  went  hand  in 
hand  with  evangelization.  Sometimes  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  district  schools  were  connected 
with  a  single  mission  station.  Until  1843,  when 
the  public  education  was  turned  over  to  the 
government,  the  entire  nation  went  to  school  to 
the  missionaries  and  their  trained  native  helpers. 
Kings,  queens,  chiefs,  and  chieftesses  were  the 
earliest  pupils.  When  the  Hawaiian  spelling 
book  was  printed  in  1822,  the  king  himself 
"pulled"  the  first  sheet.  In  eight  years  more 
than  one  million,  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pages  of  text-books  were  printed  in  Hawaii, 
and  a  third  as  many  were  printed  in  the  Hawaiian 
tongue  in  the  United  States.  So  eager  were  the 
people  to  learn  to  read  that  they  taught  each 
other,  using  banana  leaves,  smooth  stones,  and 
the  flat  sea  beach  for  tablets.  One  chief  re- 
fused a  license  to  marry  to  those  who  could  not 
read.  The  theory  of  these  early  missionary 
schools  was  far  in  advance  of  most  of  the  schools 
of  the  times.  Manual  labor  was  part  of  the 
curriculum,  social  ideals  were  imparted,  and 
regular  instruction  in  ethics  and  industry  given. 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  125 

Gradually  select  schools  and  those  for  higher 
training  developed.  In  1840  a  boarding-school 
for  training  in  agriculture  was  established  at 
Waialua,  and  a  school  —  now  the  Royal  School 
—  at  Honolulu  for  training  young  chiefs.  The 
first  minister  of  public  education  when  the 
schools  were  taken  over  by  the  government  was 
Rev.  Henry  Richards,  and  his  successor,  Rev. 
Richard  Armstrong,  an  ardent  disciple  of 
Horace  Mann  of  Massachusetts.  His  famous 
son,  General  S.  C.  Armstrong  of  Hampton,  had 
said  that  "of  the  white  men's  signatures  on  the 
public  papers  of  that  clay,  one-half  were  made 
by  marks,  while  only  one  native  failed  to  write 
his  own  name."  At  the  present  time  the  com- 
pulsory school  law  is  well  enforced,  eighty-two 
per  cent  of  the  children  between  six  and  four- 
teen being  in  school  with  a  school  year  averaging 
200  days,  as  against  an  average  of  140.5  days 
in  the  United  States. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  educational  in- 
stitutions is  the  Hilo  Industrial  Boarding  School 
for  Boys.  The  work  is  similar  to  what  we  have 
become  familiar  with  at  Tuskegee,  and  has  like 
splendid  results  to  show  in  building  strong,  self- 
reliant  characters.  In  fact,  we  owe  our  own 
Hampton,  Tuskegee,  and  kindred  institutions 
directly  to  the  inspiration  of  this  school  so 
quietly  and  grandly  developed  through  years 
of  patient  endeavor  by  "Father"  and  "Mother" 
Lyman  as  the  two  devoted  missionaries  were 
called.  For  General  Armstrong,  when  a  boy, 
living  at  Honolulu,  spent  a  month  at  Hilo,  and 


126  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

observed  all  its  ways,  and  when,  years  later,  he 
founded  Hampton,  it  was,  according  to  his  own 
statement,  on  the  same  lines  which  he  had  seen 
so  successful  at  Hilo. 

Churches.  —  The  first  church  in  the  Hawaiian 
Islands  was  the  Congregational,  and  the  honor 
of  the  pioneer  work  and  glorious  results  belongs 
to  that  body.  In  the  later  development  of  the 
islands,  other  denominations  have  shared.  The 
Roman  Catholics  were  the  next  religious  body 
to  enter  Hawaii,  celebrating  the  mass  for  the 
first  time  in  1827.  In  1831  they  were  banished 
by  the  government.  In  1839  an  edict  of  tolera- 
tion was  issued,  and  under  the  pressure  of  a 
French  warship  a  convention  was  signed,  and 
a  guarantee  of  $2000  paid  in  pledge  that  Roman 
Catholic  worship  should  be  free. 

In  1862,  after  repeated  requests  of  King  Liho- 
Liho  to  the  Church  of  England  and  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  America,  a  bishop  was  sent  to  es- 
tablish episcopacy  in  Honolulu.  The  king  had 
himself  translated  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
and  it  was  already  in  press  when  the  bishop 
arrived.  The  king  and  Queen  Emma  were 
confirmed  soon  after,  and  as  long  as  they  lived 
were  stanch  supporters  of  the  mission.  When 
Honolulu  became  United  States  territory,  the 
mission  was  transferred  to  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church  as  a  matter  of  course.  At  present  the 
mission  force  consists  of  15  clergy  and  19  other 
paid  workers,  of  whom  25  are  supported  locally ; 
besides  there  are  many  volunteer  workers  who 
teach  in  the  mission  schools,  which  number  11  — 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  127 

boarding  and  other  schools.  A  successful  work 
is  carried  on  in  the  four  islands,  not  only  among 
the  native  Hawaiians  and  Americans,  but  also 
among  the  Chinese,  Japanese,  and  Koreans.  The 
number  of  communicants  is  950. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  mission  was  estab- 
lished to  look  after  the  Japanese  in  the  islands. 
They  sent  out  Japanese  preachers  of  most  con- 
secrated lives.  They  have  now  a  strong  church 
membership  in  Honolulu. 

The  Christian  Church  was  organized  in  1894. 
It  does  not  extend  its  work  in  other  islands,  but 
in  Honolulu  is  most  active  in  city  missions. 

The  Lutherans  have  preaching  stations  and  a 
handsome  church  in  Honolulu. 

The  Salvation  Army  is  well  organized  and  is 
represented  in  all  the  principal  islands. 

Missionary  Heroes.  —  It  seems  invidious  to 
select  any  for  special  mention  when  the  entire 
missionary  force  has  worked  with  such  single- 
minded  devotion  and  where  all  are  worthy  of 
praise.  In  the  limits  of  this  brief  hand-book, 
however,  it  is  impossible  to  do  more  than  men- 
tion a  very  few,  whose  names  have  become 
household  words. 

Titus  Coan  did  not  join  the  forces  of  the  mis- 
sion until  1835.  He  was  assigned  to  a  parish 
at  Hilo  on  the  eastern  shores  of  Hawaii.  It  was 
a  good-sized  parish,  too,  as  parishes  go,  stretch- 
ing one  hundred  miles  along  the  coast  and 
including  fifteen  thousand  people.  The  great 
awakening  of  1837  began  under  his  preaching 
at  Hilo.     No  labors  were  too  arduous  for  his 


128  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

impetuous  spirit,  preaching  to  thousands,  talk- 
ing with  inquirers  far  into  the  night,  undertaking 
painful  and  perilous  journeys  on  foot,  by  boat, 
and  on  horseback,  writing  thousands  of  letters, 
baptizing  thousands  of  converts,  organizing 
churches,  superintending  schools,  introducing 
new  industries,  fighting  the  hideous  corruption 
introduced  at  the  ports,  he  passed  his  long 
apostolic  life. 

His  death,  which  occurred  in  1881,  was  like 
a  gradual  and  gentle  withdrawal.  For  nearly 
three  months  he  waited  the  summons,  his  sick 
room  thronged  with  the  natives,  who  realized 
that  he  was  to  leave  them.  Men  who  had  been 
his  companions  in  the  difficult  tours  long 
years  before  came  long  distances  that  they 
might  look  upon  his  face.  To  each  of  the  sor- 
rowing throng  he  gave  a  gracious  word,  a  radiant 
look  never  to  be  forgotten.  He  was  borne  in  a 
reclining  chair  about  the  streets  that  he  might 
see  his  dear  people  again;  and  everywhere  was 
surrounded  with  the  same  grateful  love  with 
which  Paul's  converts  wept  upon  his  neck  sor- 
rowing that  they  should  see  him  no  more.  His 
people,  as  he  loved  to  call  them,  placed  the 
simple  marble  slab  above  his  grave.  On  it  the 
words :  — 

HE    LIVED    BY    FAITH. 

HE    STILL    LIVES. 
BELIEVEST    THOU    THIS? 

To  Hiram  Bingham,  one  of  the  original  band 
of   missionaries,  belongs   the   credit   of   having 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  129 

led  in  the  work  of  translation  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  translated  the  first  portions  of  the  Bible, 
twelve  pages  of  the  gospel  of  St.  Luke,  and  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount.  Twelve  years  after  the 
time  of  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries  the  entire 
New  Testament  had  been  translated  and  printed. 
One-third  was  the  work  of  Mr.  Bingham,  one- 
third  that  of  Mr.  Richards,  and  the  remainder 
divided  among  several  of  the  missionaries. 

Rev.  William  Richards  came  to  the  islands  in 
1822,  and  for  twenty-five  years  thereafter  was 
one  of  the  strong  formative  influences.  His 
lectures  on  political  sciences  and  his  practical 
wisdom  made  him  most  influential  in  the  shaping 
of  the  early  laws  and  constitution.  His  fine 
scholarship,  joined  to  his  indefatigable  industry, 
resulted  in  his  authorship  of  one-third  of  the 
entire  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Hawaiian. 

Rev.  William  Armstrong,  on  the  death  of 
Rev.  William  Richards  in  1847,  became  the 
minister  of  education  under  the  native  monarchy. 
He  was  a  disciple  of  Horace  Mann,  the  New 
England  apostle  of  the  American  public  school. 
In  Dr.  Armstrong's  educational  work  in  Hawaii 
he  sought  to  embody  the  ideas  and  methods  of 
New  England  education,  with  such  success  that 
"  Haole  "  reports  in  1853,  "  It  is  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult to  find  a  child  ten  years  of  age  who  cannot 
read  his  Bible  and  the  other  school-books 
fluently." 

Rev.  Peter  Gulick  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
missionaries,  reaching  the  islands  in  1822.  His 
life  work  covered  a  period  of  fifty-two  fruitful 


130  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

years.  His  name  has  become  known  wherever 
missions  are  loved  by  the  number  of  his  de- 
scendants who  have  distinguished  themselves  in 
various  fields  of  missionary  work.  His  eldest 
son,  Dr.  Luther  H.  Gulick,  became  the  pioneer 
missionary  in  Micronesia  in  1852.  Another  son, 
Dr.  John  T.  Gulick,  became  the  correspondent 
and  friend  of  Romanes  and  had  marked  influence 
in  the  recovery  of  his  early  faith.  He  became 
a  missionary  in  China  and  Japan.  Of  his  other 
children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  two  have 
been  missionaries  in  Japan  and  two  in  Spain. 

Hawaiian  Foreign  Missions.  —  The  native 
church  of  Hawaii  early  in  its  history  began  to 
send  the  gospel  to  other  groups  of  the  island 
world.  When  Luther  Gulick  and  two  other 
young  missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  American 
Board,  in  1852,  to  found  the  Micronesian  mission 
in  the  Caroline  group,  they  took  with  them 
native  Hawaiians  as  associate  missionaries. 
These  Hawaiian  with  their  wives  willingly  and 
joyfully  exiled  themselves  two  thousand  miles 
from  their  homes  to  carry  the  Good  News  to  the 
savage  tribes  of  Micronesia.  For  fifty  years  the 
native  churches  of  Hawaii  have  maintained  their 
representatives  in  Micronesia. 

In  1857  the  first  Morning  Star  reached  Hono- 
lulu, bringing  Hiram  Bingham  II.  and  his  bride 
on  their  way  to  their  new  field  of  service  in  the 
Gilbert  group.  They  also  took  with  them  a  Ha- 
waiian minister  and  his  wife  as  helpers  in  their 
pioneer  work. 

A  year  after  the  departure  of  these  pioneers  a 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  131 

call  that  came  from  the  Marquesan  Islanders 
themselves  powerfully  stimulated  the  missionary 
zeal  of  the  Hawaiian  church.  These  Mar- 
quesans  were  notorious  as  the  most  blood- 
thirsty cannibals  of  the  Pacific.  All  attempts 
to  reach  them  made  by  English  missionaries  and 
by  native  Christians  from  Tahiti  had  been  aban- 
doned as  useless.  But,  through  a  stranded 
Hawaiian,  the  Marquesans  had  learned  the  story 
of  what  the  gospel  had  done  in  Hawaii.  The 
chief,  Matunui,  set  out  in  a  whaler  to  go  one  thou- 
sand miles  and  see  for  himself  what  had  happened 
in  Hawaii.  Taking  the  Hawaiian,  now  his  son- 
in-law,  as  interpreter,  he  reached  the  islands  and 
at  once  began  to  plead  for  teachers  for  his  people. 
"We  have  nothing  but  war,  war,  war,"  he  said, 
"and  fear  and  trouble  and  poverty.  We  wish 
to  be  as  you  are  here."  This  appeal  aroused  the 
greatest  enthusiasm  and  four  men  and  their 
wives  volunteered  to  go  to  this  unlovely  field. 
This  brave  little  band  met  the  greatest  hardships; 
their  lives  were  in  danger,  sometimes  supplies 
were  more  than  two  years  apart,  the  climate  was 
as  trying  to  them  as  to  Europeans,  the  natives 
were  cruel,  treacherous,  and  irresponsive.  But 
the  perseverance  of  these  missionaries,  themselves 
of  a  race  just  up  from  barbarism,  was  heroic. 
When  once  it  was  proposed  to  abandon  the  mis- 
sion, Kauwealoha  wrote  to  Hawaii,  "Whether 
you  abandon  the  mission  or  not,  I  shall  remain; 
if  my  salary  is  stopped  I  can  work,  if  need  be 
with  as  little  clothing  as  my  fathers  wore  in  their 
barbarous  state." 


132  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

Kekela.  — The  most  distinguished  of  these  Ha- 
waiians  was  Kekela,  who  labored  with  his  heroic 
wife  for  many  years  in  a  beautiful  valley,  on 
Hivaoa,  one  of  the  Marquesas  Islands.  In  1864, 
at  this  place,  he  saved  the  life  of  an  American 
officer  of  a  whaler.  The  savages  had  seized  Lieu- 
tenant Whalen  in  retaliation  for  an  outrage  com- 
mitted by  a  piratical  trading  vessel  a  year  earlier. 
After  torturing  their  victim  frightfully  the  savages 
were  preparing  for  a  cannibal  feast  when  Kekela, 
who  had  been  absent  in  another  part  of  the  island, 
returned,  and  at  the  risk  of  his  own  life  and  by 
the  payment  of  a  heavy  ransom  rescued  the 
half-dead  American.  He  then  took  Lieutenant 
Whalen  to  his  own  home  and  nursed  him  ten- 
derly until  he  was  able  to  go  home.  President 
Lincoln  heard  the  story  and  sent  to  Kekela  a 
watch,  a  medal,  and  other  gifts  by  the  captain 
of  the  Morning  Star,  together  with  a  letter  ex- 
pressing the  thanks  of  the  nation  for  his  services 
in  rescuing  this  citizen  of  the  United  States. 
Kekela's  letter  in  reply  was  full  of  simple  dig- 
nity and  truth.  A  few  sentences  must  be 
quoted:  — 

"As to  this  friendly  deed  of  mine  in  saving  Mr.  Wha- 
len, its  seed  came  from  your  great  land  and  was 
brought  by  certain  of  your  countrymen  who  had  re- 
ceived the  love  of  God.  It  was  planted  in  Hawaii,  and 
I  brought  it  here  to  these  dark  regions  that  they  might 
receive  the  root  of  all  that  is  true  and  good,  which  is 
love  (aloha) .  How  shall  I  repay  your  great  kindness  to 
me  ?  This  is  my  only  payment,  that  which  I  received 
of  the  Lord,  —  love." 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  133 

The  letter  was  never  read  by  the  great  Presi- 
dent. It  reached  Washington  a  short  time  after 
his  tragic  death.  Kekela  and  Kauwealoha  lived 
to  give  nearly  fifty  years  of  active  service  in  the 
Marquesan  Islands.  Kekela  then  returned  to 
Honolulu,  where  he  spent  the  last  few  years  of 
an  honored  and  useful  life,  dying  in  November, 
1904.  During  the  fifty  years  of  missionary 
effort,  about  thirty  men  with  their  wives  have 
been  sent  out  by  native  Hawaiian  churches  to 
labor  in  the  Micronesian  Islands.  This  is  one- 
fourth  of  the  entire  number  in  the  native  minis- 
try. During  the  time  the  native  churches  have 
expended  upon  their  foreign  missionary  work 
the  sum  of  $112,000. 

PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  HAWAII 

Withdrawal  of  the  American  Board.  —  In 
1870  a  grand  jubilee  to  celebrate  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  mission  was 
held  in  Honolulu.  In  the  presence  of  the  king 
and  queen  and  before  a  vast  audience  the  an- 
nouncement was  made  that  the  work  of  Chris- 
tianizing the  islands  was  completed.  Seven 
years  before  this  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson  had  been 
sent  as  secretary  of  the  Board  to  make  the  neces- 
sary arrangements  for  the  gradual  withdrawal 
of  funds  and  the  placing  of  native  pastors  over 
the  churches.  The  action  of  the  Board  was 
felt  by  many  of  the  missionaries  at  the  time  to 
be  too  radical,  and  events  have  proved  that  the 
Hawaiian  people  were  hardly  prepared  for  the 
burden  of  responsibility  thus  thrust  upon  them. 


134  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

Fifty  years  is  not  a  long  period,  even  in  the  life 
of  individuals;  in  national  life  it  is  but  a  day. 
The  superstitions,  weaknesses,  ignorance,  and 
inexperience  of  the  natives  could  not  and  did 
not  at  once  yield  to  enlightenment,  and  pro- 
duce men  prepared  to  be  leaders  in  laying  firm 
foundations  for  Christian  civilization.  Some 
of  the  imperfection  and  decline  of  the  native 
churches  can  be  laid  to  this  mistaken  policy  of 
too  early  and  precipitous  withdrawal. 

Influx  of  Races.  —  Present-day  problems  in 
Hawaii  have  been  immensely  complicated  by 
the  addition  of  many  diverse  racial  elements  to 
the  population  of  the  islands.  The  commercial 
development  of  the  islands,  joined  to  the  de- 
crease in  the  native  population,  led  to  the  im- 
portation of  foreign  labor.  The  chief  elements 
of  this  immigration  have  been  "Chinese,  Japanese, 
Korean,  Portuguese,  and  South  Sea  Islanders. 
The  census  of  1900  gives  the  population  of 
Hawaii  as  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  thousand, 
of  whom  twenty-nine  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  thirty-four  are  native  Hawaiians.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  population  includes  twenty-five 
thousand  Chinese,  sixty  thousand  Japanese, 
twenty-eight  thousand  whites.  Of  the  whites 
the  Portuguese  have  by  far  the  largest  number, 
about  fifteen  thousand.  The  pressure  of  the 
very  large  number  of  Asiatics  has  added 
serious  complications  to  the  religious  problems 
in  Hawaii.  The  immigration  was  almost  wholly 
that  of  male  laborers  to  begin  with.  According 
to  the  Hawaiian  annual  for  1899,  but  seven  per 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  135 

cent  of  the  Chinese  population  and  eighteen  per 
cent  of  the  Japanese  population  were  women. 
This  condition  tended  to  increase  the  unfavor- 
able moral  conditions  already  existing  in  the 
islands.  These  coolies,  brought  to  the  islands 
with  no  expectation  of  staying  beyond  the  term 
of  three  years,  have  many  of  them  remained  per- 
manently. 

They  met  justice,  fair  dealing,  were  given  a 
chance  to  buy  land,  and  subjected  to  no  social 
ostracism.  As  a  result  we  have  had  intermar- 
riages between  the  Chinese  and  Hawaiians,  and 
also  with  the  other  nationalities.  We  have  to- 
day naturalized  Chinese  and  Japanese  who  are 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  hundreds  of 
Chinese  and  Japanese  boys  growing  up  under  the 
flag  to  be  loyal  Americans.  In  regard  to  the 
race  intermixture  between  Asiatic  and  Hawaiian, 
Dr.  Doremus  Scudder  says :  — 

"  There  is  no  question  that  the  fierce  white  race  with 
its  death-dealing  drink  and  its  strenuous  living  must 
soon  make  an  end  to  the  most  genial  man  Mother 
Earth  has  nurtured.  The  Hawaiian  is  slowly  fading, 
mingling  his  blood  with  that  of  more  enduring  peoples. 
Out  of  the  mixture  a  new  variety  of  human  is  crystal- 
lizing. 

"  It  is  conceded  by  everybody  that  the  cross  between 
Chinese  and  Hawaiian  has  given  to  this  territory  one  of 
its  best  elements.  He  is  beyond  compare  above  the 
half  white.  It  may  not  be  flattering  to  our  New- 
World  pride,  but  it  seems  true  that  the  Chinese  has, 
through  his  centuries  of  development,  reached  a  far 
more  stable  plane  of  evolution  than  the  Anglo-Saxon. 
Match  the  latter  and  the  Polynesian ;  the  white  hered- 
ity goes  to  pieces.    The  result  is   a   creature  weaker, 


136  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

less  reliable,  and  more  fickle  than  either  parent.  But 
the  Chinese  tones  up  the  Hawaiian  into  a  stable,  keen- 
witted, industrious  nature,  upon  which  the  best  sort 
of  character  can  be  built.  .  .  .  The  persistence  of 
the  heredity  of  the  Chinese  father  is  very  noticeable, 
even  where  strains  of  blood  are  greatly  mixed." 

A  Wonderful  Opportunity.  —  The  hand  of 
God  has  shaken  together  in  this  garden  of  the  Pa- 
cific seed  corn  from  many  nations.  A  unique 
opportunity  is  opened  to  the  Christian  Church 
of  America,  in  this  youngest  of  our  territories,  to 
profoundly  influence  the  life  and  thought  of  Asia. 
The  stream  of  life  ebbs  and  flows  between  China, 
Korea,  Japan,  and  Hawaii.  Here  may  these 
nations  be  brought  in  close  touch  with  American 
life  and  thought,  under  friendly  circumstances. 
Already  the  possibilities  have  been  seen  and  a 
beginning  made.  Only  the  substantial  backing 
of  wise  and  far-seeing  statesmanship  among  the 
churches  of  the  mainland  is  needed  to  inaugurate 
a  great  work.  There  are  churches  already  built, 
filled  once  with  native  Hawaiians,  but  unten- 
anted now  by  that  diminishing  race.  Men  are 
on  the  ground  already  trained.  The  door  is 
open  wide.  We  may  repeat  the  words  with 
which  Henry  M.  Stanley  presented  to  the  Eng- 
lish world  the  wide  open  door  to  civilization  and 
Christianity  in  Uganda,  "The  opportunity  is 
before  you,  gentlemen,  embrace  it !  " 


THE  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS  137 


TOPICS     FOR    WRITINGS    AND    DISCUSSIONS 

1.  The  influence  of  Hawaiian  mission  work   on 
Japan  and  China. 

2.  Hawaii  as  a  strategic  centre. 

3.  Development  of  Chinese  citizenship  in  Hawaii. 

4.  Causes  of  the  decline  of  the  native  race  in 
Hawaii. 

5.  Influence  of  Hawaiian  missions  on  the  education 
of  the  Negro  and  the  Indian  in  the  United  States. 

6.  Studies    in  heredity.    The   Armstrongs,    The 
Binghams,  and  The  Gulicks. 

7.  The  sandalwood  trade  as  it  affected  missions. 

8.  The  story  of  the  whalers  in  the  Pacific. 

9.  Development  of  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work  in  Hawaii. 

10.  Article,  Bibliotheca  Sacra,  Jan.  1896,  Letter  of 
J.  T.  Gulick  to  Romanes. 

11.  Story  of  Kekela,  Hawaiian  Missionary  to  the 
Marquesas,  as  told  by  Stevenson  in  "The  South 
Seas,"  Chapter  X. 


CHAPTER  IV 

"  A  land  of  streams !     Some  like  a  downward  smoke, 
Slow  dropping  veils  of  thinnest  gauze  did  go ; 
And  some  through  wavering  lights  and  shadows 

broke, 
Rolling  a  slumbering  sheet  of  foam  below." 

FIJI,  THE  NEW  HEBRIDES,  AND  MELANESIA 

The  Islands.  —  As  converts  from  Tahiti  were 
the  first  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  Friendly,  or 
Tonga,  Islands,  so  these  islands,  in  turn,  passed 
on  the  light  to  the  Fiji  Islanders,  and  surely  never 
did  people  need  light  and  sweetness  more  than  did 
they.  Their  home,  to  be  sure,  was  all  that  could 
be  desired;  and,  if  environment  determined 
character,  there  would  be  no  need  of  any  good 
news  to  the  Fijians.  They  had  eighty  large, 
inhabited  islands,  and  a  whole  school  of  little 
islands,  playing  about  in  the  blue  sea.  There 
never  was  a  lovelier  picture  than  the  verdure-clad 
hills,  the  craggy  summits,  the  white  coral  beaches, 
the  broad  lagoons,  the  encircling  reefs  against 
which  the  foaming  breakers  dashed.  Writers 
exhaust  their  ingenuity  in  vain  attempts  to 
describe  these  beautiful  islands.  They  lie 
three  hundred  miles  west  of  the  Tonga,  or 
Friendly,  Islands,  and  about  as  far  south  of 
the  Samoas.     The  largest  island  is   Na  Viti- 

138 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA      139 

Levu  (Great  Fiji),  fifty  by  ninety  miles  across, 
with  mountains  five  thousand  feet  high. 
Northeast  lies  Vanua  Levu,  twenty-five  by 
one  hundred  miles,  with  a  river,  the  Rewa, 
navigable  for  sixty  miles.  Just  off  the  east 
coast  of  this  island  is  an  islet,  Mbau,  only  a 
mile  long  and  one  hundred  feet  high,  but 
once  the  capital  of  the  group. 

The  People.  — The  Fijians  are  a  mixed  race, 
part  Polynesian  and  part  Papuan.  In  color 
they  are  not  black,  like  the  Papuans,  but  a 
darker  brown  than  the  Samoans.  Their  hair 
is  not  so  frizzly  as  that  of  the  Papuans,  but  less 
glossy  than  that  of  the  Polynesians.  In  charac- 
ter they  occupied  a  preeminence  of  degradation 
unrivalled  by  that  of  any  other  islanders.  It  is 
difficult  to  give  a  plain  statement  of  the  condi- 
tions on  these  islands  that  shall  not  seem  like 
a  hateful  slander  on  humanity.  With  all  their 
moral  degradation  they  were  far  cleaner  and 
more  skilful  than  many  of  the  other  island 
peoples.  They  built  very  good  houses,  were 
expert  weavers  and  carvers  and  potters.  They 
decorated  their  cloth  and  pottery  with  elaborate 
patterns,  usually  symbolic,  designed  by  the 
women.  Their  crude  artistic  longings  showed 
in  all  sorts  of  fantastic  ornaments;  yards  of  gay 
cloth  wrapped  around  their  dark  bodies,  shell 
ornaments,  finger  rings,  necklaces  of  flowers  and 
of  shells,  tufts  of  scarlet  feathers  rising  smartly 
from  the  most  remarkable  head-dresses.  In  this 
adorning  of  the  hair  they  took  especial  delight, 
and  it  must  have  been  calculated  to  make  one 


140  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

dream  o'  nights  who  saw  a  native  tattooed  in 
brilliant  colors,  with  his  heavy  hair  dyed  in  the 
most  startling  pigments  and  bristling  in  fantastic 
designs. 

Social  Customs.  —  Not  all  the  interest  one 
might  take  in  primitive  pottery  and  weaving  and 
architecture  could  blind  the  eyes  of  Europeans 
to  the  awful  terror  and  ugliness  in  the  life 
of  these  poor  creatures.  Cannibalism,  occa- 
sional on  many  of  the  island  groups,  or  reserved 
for  the  treatment  of  conquered  foes,  was  here 
elevated  into  a  national  cult  and  custom.  The 
man  who  had  eaten  the  greatest  number  of 
human  beings  was  highest  in  social  order.  They 
used  to  mark  these  pleasant  little  achievements 
by  memorial  stones.  The  great  chief,  Ra 
Undreundre,  had  eight  hundred  and  seventy-two 
of  these  set  up  to  mark  his  prowess.  Much  of 
what  early  investigators  told  cannot  and  ought 
not  to  be  printed.  Yet,  if  we  are  to  appreci- 
ate the  change  in  Fiji,  we  must  know  some- 
what definitely  the  state  of  things  at  the  first. 
Add  then  to  cannibalism,  infanticide,  the 
strangling  of  widows  on  the  death  of  their  hus- 
bands (in  1839,  when  the  army  of  Viva  was 
defeated,  eighty  of  his  wives  were  strangled) ,  the 
burial  alive  of  the  sick  or  aged,  and  one  has  a 
few  of  the  actually  prevailing  customs  mentioned. 
Nor  was  famine  or  overpopulation  the  excuse  for 
these  cruelties.  The  soil  was  rich,  easily  able  to 
sustain  twice  the  population.  The  trouble  with 
the  people  seemed  to  be  simple  devilishness  in  a 
high  state  of  development. 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     141 

Superstition.  —  Of  course  they  were  super- 
stitious, darkly,  besottedly  so.  They  had  a  dim 
notion  of  a  great  Power  who  had  lesser  gods 
under  him  and  who  spoke  to  the  priests.  They 
cared  a  great  deal  more,  however,  for  spooks 
and  charms.  Animals,  they  thought,  enshrined 
the  souls  of  their  ancestors.  When  they  saw 
the  reflection  of  their  own  dark  faces  staring  up 
at  them  from  some  forest  spring,  they  trembled, 
because  they  believed  they  saw  the  spirit  which 
must  leave  the  body  at  death.  Whales'  teeth 
they  considered  the  greatest  charm.  One  of 
these  would  buy  a  whole  man.  In  this  they 
were  not  so  very  different  from  many  civilized 
folk,  except  in  the  thing  for  which  they  were 
willing  to  barter  human  life  and  happiness. 

Introduction  of  Christianity.  —  The  story  of 
the  opening  of  the  bloodstained  islands  to  the 
gospel  is  most  dramatic.  On  the  island  of  Ono  a 
frightful  epidemic  was  raging  in  the  year  1835. 
Cutting  with  knives  and  fasting  and  even  human 
sacrifices  did  not  appease  the  angry  gods.  At 
that  time  an  Ono  chief  learned  from  one  of  the 
other  chiefs  who  had  visited  the  Tongas  that  the 
only  true  God  was  Jehovah,  and  that  one  day 
in  every  seven  ought  to  be  kept  in  his  honor. 
On  the  sixth  day  he  had  his  people  prepare  their 
food  for  the  morrow,  and  then,  dressed  as  for 
festival,  worship  this  unknown  God.  So  they 
continued  groping  for  some  time,  and  at  last 
managed  to  send  a  messenger  to  Tonga  on  a 
whaling  ship  which  touched  the  island,  asking 
that  a  teacher  be  sent.    Why  should  we  not  tell 


142  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

the  story  of  what  happened  while  they  were 
waiting  for  their  messenger  to  return,  as  the 
men  would  have  told  it  who  wrote  the  Old 
Testament? 

"And  the  Lord  God  harkened  and  heard;  and 
he  caused  a  mighty  wind  to  blow,  and  it  drave 
before  it  a  ship  filled  with  much  people,  who 
feared  God  and  thought  upon  his  name.  And 
the  men  who  were  in  the  ship  were  of  the  Tribe 
of  Tonga.  And  the  Lord  brought  them  to  the 
country  of  the  men  of  Ono,  with  whom  they 
communed  many  days,  and  taught  them  the 
words  of  the  living  God,  to  whom  be  glory  for- 
ever." For  it  was  the  same  God  who  guided 
the  frail  boat  of  the  Christian  Tongas  far  out  of 
its  course  to  minister  to  these  groping  souls  that 
wrought  with  a  stretched-out  arm  so  mightily  for 
his  troubled  people  of  old. 

One  of  these  Christian  Tongans,  so  strangely 
brought  to  Ono,  stayed  to  lead  the  people  in  their 
devotions,  and  to  teach  them  what  he  himself 
knew  of  the  new  religion.  After  a  time  the 
messenger  that  they  had  sent  returned  with  news 
that  already  there  were  white  teachers  on 
Lakemba,  an  eastern  island  of  the  Fiji  group, 
and  that  from  them  teachers  would  be  sent. 
These  were  sent  shortly  after,  and  soon  Ono  be- 
came one  of  the  brightest  spots  in  all  Fiji. 

Pioneer  Missionaries.  —  It  will  be  remembered 
that  during  the  remarkable  revival  in  the  Tonga 
Church  in  1834,  King  George  had  been  one  of 
the  converts.  He  became  most  eager  that  the 
same  blessings  which  had  come  to  his  people 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA     143 

should  by  them  be  carried  to  the  Fiji  group  to 
the  west.  Toward  the  close  of  the  year  he  sent 
an  ambassador  with  two  missionaries  who  had 
been  sent  out  by  the  Wesleyan  Society  to  work 
in  the  Tongas.  These  men  were  Rev.  William 
Cross  and  Rev.  David  Cargill.  They  came  after 
four  days'  sail  to  Lakemba,  a  small  island  in  the 
eastern  end  of  the  Fiji  group.  Here  for  several 
years  they  worked  with  varying  success  amid 
the  privations  of  those  pioneer  days.  Some- 
times they  were  more  than  a  year  with  no  sup- 
plies nor  news  from  home.  They  lacked  cloth- 
ing, medicine,  and  shoes.  They  endured  constant 
minor  persecutions  and  abuse,  and  were  made  to 
witness  the  cruelty  and  cannibalism  of  the  people. 
In  1839  they  were  encouraged  by  the  measure  of 
success  already  attained  to  send  missionaries  to 
the  western  island,  and  Revs.  John  Hunt  and 
Lythe  went  to  Taviuni,  the  "Garden  of  Fiji." 
Their  landing  was  enlivened  by  witnessing  a 
cannibal  feast  and  the  strangling  of  sixteen  wives 
of  a  chief  recently  drowned  at  sea.  So  frightful 
were  the  conditions  of  war  and  rapine  around 
them  that  they  fled  to  Mbau  and  thence  to  Rewa, 
hoping  to  find  tolerable  conditions  in  which  to 
work.  One  incident  of  these  strenuous  days 
illustrates  the  courage  of  the  women  who  shared 
their  husbands'  privations.  It  was  in  1829  that, 
when  victims  were  wanting  to  do  honor  to  a 
visiting  chief,  fourteen  native  women  were  kid- 
napped for  a  cannibal  feast.  When  the  two 
missionary  ladies  heard  this  they  were  alone, 
their  husbands  being  away  at  a  conference  on 


144  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

another  island.  They  set  out  in  a  canoe  and 
paddled  frantically  to  the  scene  of  the  feast. 
Rushing  through  the  throngs  of  natives  they 
threw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  king  and 
presented  him  with  a  precious  whale's  tooth  if 
only  he  would  spare  the  lives  of  the  poor  victims. 
Though  the  penalty  to  a  native  taking  such 
liberty  would  have  been  instant  death,  the  king 
graciously  spared  them  and  granted  their  re- 
quest to  the  extent  of  releasing  the  five  women 
who  remained  alive.  Little  by  little  the  good 
won,  the  children  were  gathered  into  school, 
the  sick  were  ministered  unto,  the  women  in- 
structed. New  men  were  added  to  the  mission, 
among  them  the  mighty  figure  of  James  Calvert. 

James  Calvert.  —  To  this  man  a  chapter  ought 
to  be  devoted,  where  we  can  give  only  paragraphs. 

James  Calvert  was  a  Yorkshire  man,  born  at 
Pickering  in  1813.  His  people  were  devout 
Methodists,  who  gave  their  son  a  sound  educa- 
tion and  apprenticed  him  to  learn  the  trade  of 
printer  and  bookbinder.  After  some  years  of 
varied  experience  his  thoughts  turned  toward 
the  ministry.  In  1837  he  was  ordained  and 
assigned  for  foreign  work.  During  his  training 
in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Hoxton  Academy 
he  formed  a  friendship  with  John  Hunt,  who  later 
became  one  of  his  fellow-laborers  in  the  Fiji 
Islands.  In  1838  he  married  Mary  Fowler,  and 
at  once  started  with  his  young  bride  on  the 
voyage  to  New  South  Wales. 

They  reached  Lakemba  in  1838  and  here 
began  one  of  the  great  missionary  careers  that 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     145 

has  helped  to  transform  a  whole  people.  He 
was  artisan,  teacher,  statesman,  friend,  and 
minister  in  one,  and  had  the  further  gift  of  a 
superb  physique  that  no  hardships  could  over- 
come. There  were  no  roads,  no  means  of  trans- 
portation, yet  there  were  in  his  circuit  thirteen 
towns  on  the  island,  besides  twenty-four  outlying 
islands.  The  story  of  the  years  that  followed 
cannot  be  told  in  detail.  There  was  the  struggle 
with  the  language,  the  translation  of  school 
books  and  the  Bible,  the  training  of  native 
teachers  and  helpers,  the  settling  of  disputes 
between  chiefs,  the  frequent  illnesses  induced  by 
malaria  and  poor  food.  In  labors  and  weariness 
and  weakness  and  loneliness  for  years  he  worked 
with  a  contagious  cheer  and  faith  that  nothing 
could  daunt,  and  he  lived  to  see  his  forlorn 
undertaking  crowned  with  a  success  past  his 
dreaming. 

Incident  of  his  Labors.  —  A  story  connected 
with  his  work  must  be  told :  — 

"At  the  time  of  Mr.  Calvert's  first  visit  to  Ono, 
following  the  work  of  the  first  Tongan  evangelists,  he 
found  one  hundred  converts  ready  for  baptism,  among 
them  Tovo,  the  daughter  of  the  chief.  She  had  been 
betrothed  in  infancy  to  the  king  of  Lakemba,  and  Mr. 
Calvert  refused  to  baptize  her  until  she  promised  not 
to  become  one  of  the  thirty  wives  of  that  monarch. 
She  consented,  was  baptized,  and  became  a  great  help 
in  the  school.  When  Mr.  Calvert  returned  to  Lakemba, 
he  told  the  king  that  Tovo  had  become  '  Lotu, '  — 
the  Fijian  name  for  Christian,  —  and  that  she  could 
not  become  one  of  his  wives.  The  king  refused  to 
relinquish  his  claim  on  the  girl  and  got  ready  a  fleet 
of  war  boats  to  go  to  Ono  and  take  her  by  force.     Mr. 


146  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

Calvert,  on  hearing  this,  went  to  the  king  with  the 
customary  offering  of  a  whale's  tooth  and  begged  him 
not  to  persecute  these  Christian  subjects.  The  king 
proving  obdurate,  Mr.  Calvert  warned  him,  saying :  — 

"'Tui  Nayou,  before  you  go  I  warn  you  faithfully, 
because  I  love  you.  In  fetching  this  girl  you  are 
fighting  against  God.  You  will  imperil  your  own 
safety  if  you  go  on  such  an  errand.  Remember  that 
on  the  sea  and  on  all  the  islands  the  Lord  Jehovah 
rules  supreme  and  can  easily  punish  you  if  you  are 
found  fighting  against  Him.' 

"To  these  brave,  plain  words  about  a  just,  good 
God  to  whom  even  so  mighty  a  person  as  King  Tui 
Nayou  might  well  give  heed,  the  king  responded  that 
he  intended  no  harm,  but  was  only  going  to  collect 
tribute.  Mr.  Calvert  felt  sure  that  he  was  deceiving 
him,  and  warned  him  again,  'I  hear  what  your 
mouth  says,  but  do  not  know  what  your  heart  means. 
I  warn  you  that  you  risk  your  own  safety  if  you 
attempt  to  fetch  Tovo  from  Ono.' 

"The  king  set  sail  with  fair  weather,  but  contrary 
winds  sprang  up  and  four  of  the  war  canoes  were  lost 
and  never  again  heard  of.  When  the  wind  changed, 
the  king  and  the  rest  came  within  sight  of  Ono,  which 
they  could  not  reach  because  of  the  storm.  The 
king  gave  himself  up  for  lost  and  vowed  great  vows 
to  the  gods,  if  ever  he  reached  his  own  land  in  safety. 
When  at  last  he  reached  Lakemba,  he  begged  Mr.  Cal- 
vert that  'his  words  of  warning  might  never  follow 
him  again.'" 

Condensed  from  the  "  Life  of  James  Calvert  "  (Re- 
vell  &  Co.). 

Removal  to  Viwa.  —  In  1848  Mr.  Calvert  re- 
moved from  Lakemba  to  Viwa  on  account  of 
the  illness  and  death  of  John  Hunt.  Viwa  is  an 
islet  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Great  Fiji  —  Na 
Viti  Levu  —  and  was  at  this  time  the  only  place 
where  the  missionaries  were  able  to  establish 


FIJI,   NEW  HEB BIDES,   MELANESIA      147 

a  footing  in  this  portion  of  the  islands.  The 
island  of  Mbau,  only  two  miles  distant  from 
Viwa,  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  Fiji  king- 
doms, whose  king  was,  in  a  way,  the  over-lord 
of  the  other  Fiji  kingdoms.  Viwa  was  a  de- 
pendency of  Mbau;  and  it  was  the  hope  of  Mr. 
Calvert  to  be  able  to  reach  the  powerful  and 
influential  king  of  that  island.  He  acquired 
great  influence  over  Thakombau,  son  of  the  old 
king,  who  was  really  the  actual  ruler,  but  ap- 
parently made  no  headway  in  inducing  him  to 
abandon  savage  and  cruel  customs  or  to  adopt 
Christianity. 

Thakombau.  —  This  Thakombau  was  a  char- 
acter ;  of  almost  gigantic  size  and  most  impres- 
sive and  kingly  dignity,  he  was  really  remarkably 
endowed.  An  English  officer,  Captain  Erskine, 
who  visited  Fiji  in  1849  in  command  of  H.  M.  S. 
Havannah,  speaks  with  horror  of  the  cannibal 
feasts  in  which  Thakombau  took  part,  and 
marvels  at  the  influence  which  Mr.  Calvert  had 
acquired  over  the  powerful  chief,  treating  him 
always  with  the  courtesy  and  deference  due  to 
his  rank,  yet  fearlessly  expressing  disapproba- 
tion or  rebuke  for  the  evil.  While  Thakombau 
was  prosperous  he  hardened  his  heart  against 
the  "  Lotu."  "  I  hate  your  Christianity,"  he  said. 
"  Do  you  ever  think  that  you  can  keep  us 
from  wars  and  from  eating  men  ?  Never  !  " 
When  his  father  died  he  insisted  on  strangling 
all  his  wives,  "  for  grass  to  line  his  grave,"  as  the 
proverb  goes  in  Fiji.  This  he  did,  although 
Mr.  Calvert  had  offered  great  ransom,  and  even 


148  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

offered  to  have  one  of  his  own  fingers  cut  off  — 
a  Fijian  mark  of  great  reverence  to  the  dead  —  if 
only  the  poor  wives  could  be  spared.  Those  who 
are  curious  about  such  horrors  will  find  the 
whole  ceremony  of  the  strangling  described  in 
the  "  Life  of  Calvert." 

Even  a  cannibal  king  must  feel  the  power  of 
the  great  antagonists  that  God's  goodness  now 
brought  against  him:  humiliation,  defeat  in 
war,  pain,  sickness,  and  the  treachery  of  those 
he  counted  friends.  In  his  black  old  heart  the 
wonderful  miracle  was  wrought  afresh;  he 
became  humble,  willing  to  learn,  not  too  proud 
to  say  that  he  had  been  mistaken.  One  day 
the  death  drums  that  used  to  call  to  cannibal 
feasts  sounded,  and  a  great  throng  of  people 
looked  on  in  wonder  as  the  "Scourge  of  all  the 
World"  rose  and  renounced  the  old  stormy  gods 
of  cruelty  and  war,  and  then  knelt  with  all  his 
wives  and  children  in  worship  of  the  Christians' 
God. 

The  same  force  that  had  made  him  terrible 
in  evil  drove  him  fast  and  far  in  the  new  road. 
He  made  the  Sabbath  to  be  observed,  and  the 
children  to  go  to  school,  and  the  new  laws  of 
justice  and  mercy  to  be  obeyed.  It  was  a 
pretty  sight  to  see  him  patiently  learning  to  read 
from  his  little  grandson,  seven  years  old.  It  was 
hard  work  for  the  old  warrior,  and  sometimes  he 
fell  asleep.  Fifty  years  of  savagery  was  not  the 
best  preparation  for  learning  one's  letters.  In 
1857  he  was  baptized,  and  before  all  his  people 
he  who  had  been  worshipped  as  divine  said 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA     149 

bravely  and  simply:  "I  have  been  a  bad  man. 
God  has  singularly  preserved  my  life,  and  I  desire 
to  acknowledge  Him  as  the  true  God."  In  1874 
Thakombau,  alarmed  at  the  injustices  and  op- 
pressions of  the  Spanish  and  Germans  in  the 
South  Seas,  ceded  the  Fiji  Islands  to  Great 
Britain.  He  handed  his  war  club  to  the  com- 
missioners, saying  through  an  interpreter: 
"The  king  gives  her  Majesty,  Queen  Victoria, 
his  old  and  favorite  war  club,  —  the  former, 
and  until  lately  the  only,  law  of  Fiji.  The 
barbaric  law  and  age  are  of  the  past,  and  his 
people  now  submit  themselves  under  her  Maj- 
esty's rule  to  civilization." 

In  1886  old  Thakombau  died,  a  gentle,  faithful, 
consistent  Christian.  The  Fiji  Times,  the  lead- 
ing newspaper  of  the  islands,  said  of  his  death : 
"His  influence  on  the  side  of  Christianity 
and  of  good  in  general  has  been  greater  than 
that  of  any  chief,  or  combination  of  chiefs, 
throughout  the  islands.  Since  his  conversion 
he  has  led  a  worthy  life,  and  eminent  before  for 
tyranny,  licentiousness,  and  disregard  for  human 
life,  he  has  since  been  free  from  reproach,  chaste 
in  conduct,  and  considerate  of  the  people." 
For  three  months  his  body  lay  in  state.  At  his 
burial  old  customs  were  observed,  a  great  feast 
was  prepared,  the  house  in  which  he  lived  was 
torn  down  and  cast  into  the  sea,  and  his  large 
double  canoe  was  drawn  up  on  the  beach,  never 
to  be  used  again. 

Last  Days  of  Mr.  Calvert.  —  In  1850  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Calvert  went  to  England  to  revise  the  com- 


150  CHBISTUS  BEBEMPTOR 

pletecl  translation  of  the  Bible  and  see  it  through 
the  press.  Returning  to  Fiji  Mr.  Calvert  settled 
in  Levuka,  a  large  town  of  Europeans  and 
natives  that  had  sprung  up  on  the  island  of 
Ovalau,  where  he  remained  until  his  final  retire- 
ment from  the  work  in  1865.  When  seventy- 
two  years  old,  in  1886,  it  was  his  privilege  to 
revisit  the  scenes  of  his  struggle  and  achieve- 
ments. The  observations  made  in  this  journey 
read  like  fairy  tales.  In  1835  there  was  not  a 
single  Christian;  in  1886  there  was  not  an  avowed 
heathen  in  the  eighty  inhabited  islands.  He 
found  thirteen  hundred  and  twenty-two  churches, 
eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-four  schools,  two 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  teachers,  and  out 
of  a  population  of  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
thousand,  there  were  one  hundred  and  four 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-five  at- 
tendants of  public  worship.  James  Calvert  died 
in  1892. 

Present  Conditions.  —  In  her  book,  "At  Home 
in  Fiji,"  Miss  Gordon-Cummings  remarks:  "It 
is  difficult  to  imagine  that  this  people  with 
their  mellifluous  speech  and  almost  Parisian 
manner  were  the  cannibals  of  old  times."  The 
vitality  of  this  truly  wonderful  work  in  Fiji  is 
proved  by  present-day  facts.  At  the  island  of 
Mbau,  the  stone  against  which  the  bodies  of  the 
victims  for  the  cannibal  feasts  were  dashed  has 
been  placed  in  the  church  as  a  baptismal  font. 
Family  worship  is  almost  universal.  These 
native  Christians  have  sent  out  their  own  mis- 
sionaries to  New  Britain  and  New  Ireland  and 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     151 

New  Guinea.  When  these  native  missionaries 
were  killed  others  took  their  places,  until  in 
New  Britain  alone,  among  the  savage  islands, 
they  have  built  up  forty-one  churches  with  con- 
gregations numbering  one  thousand.  In  Fiji 
$5000  is  the  yearly  gift  for  missionary  work. 


152  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

INCIDENTS  AND  QUOTATIONS 

Christianity  in  Fiji 

There  was  a  man  who  went  to  the  Fiji  Islands,  — 
an  English  earl  and  an  infidel.  He  smiled  in  a  superior 
manner  when  he  met  the  natives. 

"You  are  a  great  chief,"  he  said  to  one  of  them, 
"  and  it  is  really  a  pity  that  you  have  been  so  foolish 
as  to  listen  to  the  missionaries.  Nobody  believes  any 
longer  in  that  old  book  called  the  Bible,  or  in  that 
story  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  have  all  learned  better. 
I  am  sorry  for  you,  that  you  have  been  so  foolish  as  to 
take  it  in." 

The  chief's  eyes  flashed  as  he  said :  "  Do  you  see  that 
great  stone  over  there?  On  that  stone  we  smashed 
the  heads  of  our  victims  to  death.  Do  you  see  that 
native  oven  over  yonder?  In  that  oven  we  roasted 
the  human  bodies  for  our  great  feasts.  Now,  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  the  good  missionaries  and  that  old 
Book,  and  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  has  changed 
us  from  savages  into  God's  children,  you  would  never 
leave  this  spot.  You  have  to  thank  God  for  the  Gospel ; 
for  without  it  here  we  should  have  killed  you,  and 
roasted  you  in  yonder  oven  and  feasted  upon  your 
body  in  no  time." 

"Ask  no  more,  what  can  the  Lotu  do?  after  what 
our  eyes  have  seen  this  day.  The  Lotu  is  of  God  and 
what  we  now  see  is  the  work  of  God." 

—  Words  of  a  Fiji  Christian. 

Sabbath  Keeping  in  Fiji 

In  later  years  when  nearly  all  this  group  of  islands 
had  given  up  heathenism,  the  Sabbath  was  so  rigidly 
kept  that  no  canoe  was  seen  putting  to  sea  except  to 
take  some  teacher  or  preacher  to  his  appointment; 
and  no  bribe  was  sufficient  to  tempt  a  Christian  native 
to  climb  a  tree  or  gather  cocoanuts  or  other  fruit. 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     IS  3 

The  principle  was  severely  put  to  the  test  in  1874 
and  1875,  when  the  Balolo  festival  occurred  on  Sun- 
day. As  this  festival,  or  feast  of  Worms,  is  peculiar 
to  these  islands,  we  shall  give  Miss  Gordon-Cummings' 
description  of  it :  — 

"The  balolo  is  a  small  sea-worm,  long  and  thin  as 
ordinary  vermicelli.  Some  are  fully  a  yard  long, 
others  about  an  inch.  It  has  a  pointed  body  and 
many  legs,  and  lives  in  the  deep  sea.  On  only  two 
days  in  the  whole  year  do  these  creatures  come  to  the 
surface  of  the  water.  The  first  day  is  in  October, 
which  is  hence  called  'Little  Balolo,'  when  only  a 
few  appear.  The  natives  know  exactly  when  they  are 
due  and  look  for  them.  They  make  their  calculations 
by  the  position  of  certain  stars.  After  this  no  more 
are  seen  until  the  high  tide  of  the  full  moon  which 
occurs  between  the  20th  and  25th  of  November, 
which  hence  takes  the  name  of  'Great  Balolo/  when 
they  rise  to  the  surface  in  countless  myriads,  always 
before  daybreak.  In  the  Samoan  Isles  the  day  occurs 
about  a  fortnight  earlier.  At  certain  well-known 
points  near  the  reefs,  the  whole  sea,  to  the  depth  of 
several  inches,  is  simply  aiive  with  these  red,  green, 
and  brown  creatures,  which  form  one  writhing  mass, 
and  are  pursued  by  shoals  of  fish  of  all  sizes,  which  come 
to  share  the  feast  with  the  human  beings.  The  latter 
are  in  a  state  of  the  wildest  excitement,  for  it  is  the 
merriest  day  of  all  the  year,  and  is  looked  forward  to 
from  one  November  to  the  next,  by  all  the  young 
folk.  At  midnight  they  go  out  in  their  canoes,  and 
anxiously  await  the  appearance  of  the  first  worms, 
and  great  is  the  struggle  to  secure  these,  which  herald 
the  appearance  of  untold  myriads.  For  several 
hours  there  is  the  merriest  kind  of  sport  and  laughter, 
every  one  bailing  up  worms  and  trying  who  can  most 
quickly  fill  his  canoe,  either  by  fair  sport  or  by  steal- 
ing from  his  neighbor. 

"  All  is  noise,  scrambling,  and  excitement,  the  lads 
and  lasses  each  carrying  wicker  baskets,  with  which 


154  CHBISTUS  RED  EMPTOR 

they  capture  the  worms  without  carrying  too  much 
salt  water  on  board.  As  the  day  dawns,  these  mys- 
terious creatures  with  one  accord  sink  once  more  to 
their  native  depth,  and  by  the  moment  of  sunrise  not 
one  remains  on  the  surface;  nor  will  another  be  seen 
for  twelve  months,  when,  true  to  its  festival,  the  balolo 
will  certainly  return.  Never  has  it  been  known  to 
fail  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant,  white  or 
brown.  Nor  is  there  any  record  of  any  one  having  seen 
one  rise  to  the  surface  on  any  save  the  two  appointed 
days,  which  are  known  as  the  'Little  Balolo'  and  the 
'Great  Balolo.'  Well  do  the  natives  know  how  need- 
less it  would  be  to  look  for  one  after  sunrise,  so  all 
return  then  to  land,  wrap  their  balolo  in  breadfruit 
leaves,  cook  them  in  ovens  dug  on  the  beach,  and  have 
a  great  feast.  So  great  is  the  quantity  taken  that  the 
supply  generally  lasts  for  several  days,  being  warmed 
up  when  required,  and  basketfuls  sent  to  friends  at  a 
distance. 

"Such  is  our  prejudice  against  all  manner  of  worms, 
that  few  Europeans  appreciate  this  dainty,  which, 
nevertheless,  is  really  not  nasty,  especially  when  eaten 
with  bread  and  butter.  It  is  rather  like  spinach  with 
the  flavor  of  the  sea.  Sad  to  say,  both  this  year  and 
last  year  the  full-moon  tide  occurred  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing; notwithstanding,  the  irreligious  little  worms  rose 
to  the  surface  with  their  wonted  punctuality.  So 
rigid  is  the  obedience  of  the  Wesleyans  in  the  matter 
of  Sabbatical  observance,  that  not  one  of  their  canoes 
went  out;  whereas  the  Roman  Catholic  brethren,  to 
whom  more  laxity  is  allowed,  went  forth  rejoicing. 
The  latter,  however,  are  a  very  small  minority,  and  you 
can  imagine  what  an  act  of  self-denial  it  must  be  to 
give  up  this  highly  valued  harvest  of  the  sea  on  two 
following  years." — Miss  Gordon-Cummings. 

In  1845  good  John  Hunt  died,  after  ten  years  of 
toiling  among  the  Fijians.  He  was  so  weak  in  his 
last  moments  that  he  was  forbidden  to  speak,  but 
he  could  not  keep  quiet.     "  Oh,  let  me  pray  once  more 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA      155 

for   Fiji,"   he   begged.     "0   God,    bless    Fiji!     Save 
Fiji !    Thou  knowest  that  my  soul  has  loved  Fiji !" 

Statistical  :  Fiji  Islands 
Area,  8.045  sq.  miles 
Population  (1901),  117,870 

5500  Europeans 

94,400  Fijians 

17,000  Hindus 
Religion,  Christian,  100,864 

Roman  Catholic,  9338 

Protestant,  91,526 

Pagan,  17,000 
Mission  turned  over  to  Australian  Methodists  by 
Wesleyan  Society. 

THE  NEW  HEBRIDES 

To  the  west  of  the  Fiji  Islands  extends  a  group 
named  by  the  great  English  navigator  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  the  New  Hebrides.  They 
number  about  thirty  inhabited  islands,  extending 
three  hundred  miles  southeast  to  northwest. 

Principal  Islands.  —  The  largest  and  most 
northerly  is  Santo,  not  yet  fully  explored,  but 
said  to  be  seventy  by  forty  miles.  It  has  lofty 
mountains  and  fine  harbors.  Malekula,  next  in 
size,  contains  a  population  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  thousand.  It  is  mountainous  and  fertile, 
with  good  harbors.  Other  large  islands  are  Am- 
brim,  Api,  and  Efat£,  varying  in  circumference 
from  fifty  to  seventy-five  miles:  Efat6  possesses 
two  of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  group  and  the 
town  Fila,  the  commercial  centre  of  the  islands. 
Erromanga  and  Tanna  are  two  other  large 
islands,  and  Aneityum  and  Aniwa,  while  small, 


156  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

are  yet  important  centres  in  the  history  of 
Christianity  in  the  islands. 

The  New  Hebrides  make  a  link  in  the  great 
chain  of  volcanic  islands  which  stretches  from 
the  Aleutian  Islands  and  Japan  to  New  Zealand. 
They  contain  at  this  time  three  active  volcanoes. 
That  in  the  island  of  Tanna  is  one  of  the  finest 
sights  in  the  Pacific,  the  great  lighthouse  of  the 
Southern  Isles,  bursting  forth  with  greater 
brilliancy  every  three  or  four  minutes  like  a 
revolving  light.  The  physical  character  of  the 
islands  is  similar  to  that  already  described  of 
other  groups.  The  climate  is  like  June  the  year 
round.  There  are  plenty  of  cocoanuts,  bananas, 
yams,  breadfruit,  sugarcane,  sandalwood,  and 
arrowroot.  There  are  no  wild  beasts  and  no 
poisonous  snakes  but  the  people. 

The  People.  —  They  are  in  the  Melanesian 
group  to  begin  with,  flat-nosed,  frizzle-headed, 
strong  and  muscular,  but  neither  so  tall  nor  so 
well-developed  as  the  brown  Polynesians.  There 
is,  however,  some  mixture  of  Polynesian  blood, 
which  is  most  evident  in  Aniwa  and  Efate"  and 
disappears  in  most  islands  of  the  group.  This 
mixture  of  blood  is  further  indicated  by  the  fact 
that  some  twenty  different  languages  are  spoken 
in  the  islands  of  the  group.  It  is  generally  con- 
cluded that  the  people  of  the  three  southern 
islands,  Erromanga,  Tanna,  and  Aneityum,  are 
the  descendants  of  the  earlier  inhabitants  of  the 
whole  group,  driven  southward  by  successive, 
migrations.  The  men  on  these  islands  are 
fiercer  than  those  on  the  northern  islands  and 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA      157 

go  about  almost  without  clothing;  their  canoes 
are  small  and  rudely  made  from  the  trunks  of 
trees,  while  in  the  north  they  have  huge  war 
canoes  carrying  fifty  men. 

Social  Conditions.  —  Like  the  islanders  farther 
east,  the  natives  are  addicted  to  infanticide, 
widow-strangling,  cannibalism,  fetichism,  and 
witchcraft.  But  to  these  general  features  they 
added  a  cruelty,  fierceness,  and  treachery  that 
seemed  to  place  them  lowest  in  the  scale  of  the 
island  races.  Their  primitive  condition  was 
reflected  in  their  houses,  which  were  wretched 
huts  four  or  five  feet  high,  made  of  branches 
stuck  in  the  ground,  fastened  together  at  the  top 
and  covered  with  leaves.  In  these  rude  shelters 
huddled  in  shameless  promiscuity  the  man,  his 
wives,  and  his  wretched  children. 

Early  Commerce.  —  The  early  intercourse  of 
the  islanders  with  Europeans  was  brought  about 
chiefly  by  the  trade  in  sandalwood.  The  natives 
had  used  this  precious  wood  for  fuel,  with  no 
idea  of  its  value  until  foreigners  came  and  asked 
for  it.  The  only  price  given  at  first  was  a  small 
piece  of  hoop  iron  for  a  great  boatload  of  wood. 
The  natives  were  perfectly  willing  to  make  the 
exchange,  for  they  had  no  knowledge  of  metal 
working  and  were  obliged  to  cut  down  trees  with 
stone  adzes.  They  took  the  hoop  iron,  fastened 
it  to  a  piece  of  wood,  and  then  sharpening  it 
made  their  first  axe.  The  horrors  and  atrocities 
of  the  early  sandalwood  trade  can  never  be  fully 
told.  We  get  glimpses  of  cruelties  and  decep- 
tions practised  upon  the  savages  by  unprincipled 


158  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

traders  that  make  us  blush  for  civilization.  It 
was  owing  to  the  resentment  of  the  natives  for 
such  treatment,  and  to  their  well-merited  dis- 
trust of  the  foreigners,  that  much  of  the  difficulty 
and  danger  of  the  early  missionary  enterprises  in 
the  islands  was  due. 

First  Missionary  Attempts.  —  The  pioneer  mis- 
sionary to  attempt  to  reach  these  people  was 
John  Williams,  who  laid  down  his  life  on  blood- 
stained Erromanga  ir  1839.  Following  the  news 
of  his  death,  twenty-f>Te  men  volunteered  to  take 
his  place.  Missionaries  in  Samoa  stationed 
teachers  in  Erromanga,  but  conditions  were 
too  dreadful ;  some  died,  and  the  rest  gave  up  in 
despair.  From  1841  to  1845  various  attempts 
were  made,  but  without  success,  to  permanently 
station  teachers.  Bishop  Selwyn  stopped  oc- 
casionally in  his  mission  boat,  and  several  young 
natives  were  taken  to  Samoa  to  be  trained  as 
teachers  for  their  own  people.  But  the  real 
opening  was  made  in  the  island  of  Aneityum  by 
John  Geddie. 

Geddie 's  Work  in  Aneityum.  —  As  a  boy  in 
Nova  Scotia,  "Little  Johnnie  Geddie"  had  pored 
over  the  stories  of  the  heroes  in  the  South  Seas 
until  he  was  glowing  with  eagerness  to  become 
a  missionary  himself.  To  carry  out  his  brave 
purpose,  he  worked  heroically  to  get  an  educa- 
tion, and  even  harder  to  stir  up  his  friends  and 
neighbors  to  an  enthusiasm  in  missions  like  his 
own.  With  his  old  horse  Samson,  he  drove  all 
about  the  country,  talking  to  every  one  he  met 
with  such  downright  conviction  and  contagious 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA      159 

enthusiasm  that  he  got  the  churches  to  agree  to 
send  him  as  their  missionary  to  the  South  Seas. 
But  first  he  must  study  medicine,  and  learn  to 
build  a  house  and  a  boat  and  many  practical 
crafts  that  would  be  needed,  he  thought,  in  the 
sort  of  career  he  was  planning. 

After  a  journey  of  nineteen  thousand  miles  he 
came  to  the  Samoan  Islands,  and  then  the  John 
Williams,  a  ship  named  after  the  great  martyr 
missionary,  brought  him  with  another  missionary 
to  begin  work  in  Aneityum  in  1848.  Here  he  set 
to  work  to  build  his  house  and  to  learn  the 
language.  The  natives  were  suspicious  and 
superstitious,  and  the  priests,  at  least,  syste- 
matically hostile.  They  blamed  him  for  the  hurri- 
cane that  visited  the  island,  and  for  sickness  that 
afflicted  the  people.  Mr.  Powell's  health  failed 
and  he  returned  to  Samoa,  leaving  John  Geddie 
with  his  wife  and  three  little  children  alone 
among  the  savages.  For  three  years  he  kept 
bravely  on  alone  in  his  work.  He  printed 
a  book  with  the  crudest  appliances  and  he 
and  his  wife  maintained  schools  for  the  boys 
and  girls.  Little  by  little,  by  sheer  goodness, 
sense,  kindness,  and  love,  he  won  over  the  people. 
Prominent  chiefs  gave  up  their  idols,  the  people 
flocked  into  church,  and  even  wished  to  make 
Geddie  himself  a  chief.  The  attempts  of  the 
people  to  copy  their  loved  missionary  in  every 
respect  were  often  ludicrous.  A  precious  gar- 
ment of  European  make  would  be  passed  gravely 
from  one  member  of  the  family  to  the  other  that 
each  might  have  his  turn  in  wearing  it  to  the 


160  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

church  with  dignity  befitting  the  occasion.  Of 
course,  there  was  persecution  on  the  part  of  the 
stubborn  heathen  party,  and  there  were  times 
of  danger  and  of  desperate  illness,  but  through 
it  all  the  work  prospered  and  "Father  Geddie" 
grew  constantly  more  beloved  and  more  in- 
fluential. For  two  years  and  a  half  the  John 
Williams  had  not  been  seen,  and  when  the  ship 
did  come,  the  Samoan  teachers  who  came  with 
it  could  hardly  believe  their  eyes  when  they  saw 
the  people.  Half  of  the  four  thousand  had  be- 
come Christian;  hundreds  of  boys  and  girls 
could  read  in  their  own  language,  for  the  first 
time  reduced  to  writing  by  Mr.  Geddie.  Out  of 
the  Christian  villages  a  little  church  of  fifteen 
members  had  been  gathered,  as  it  had  not  been 
the  plan  of  the  missionary  to  urge  church  member- 
ship until  thorough  instruction  and  continued 
testing  had  been  given. 

Soon  after  this  Bishop  Selwyn  and  Coleridge 
Patteson  brought  with  them  a  new  missionary, 
Rev.  John  Inglis,  whom  they  assigned  to  the 
other  side  of  the  island  to  do  there  the  same  good 
work  that  Mr.  Geddie  had  accomplished.  After 
fifteen  years  of  service  John  Geddie  died,  worn 
out  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight.  When  he  died 
churches  and  schools  were  scattered  all  over  the 
island,  the  slavery  of  women  was  abolished,  a 
form  of  government  established,  and  an  export 
trade  in  arrowroot  built  up.  On  a  tablet  in 
the  large  church,  seating  one  thousand  people, 
this  inscription  was  placed  in  memory  of  John 
Geddie :  — 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA      161 

"When   he  landed  in  1848  there  were  no  Christians 
here; 
When  he  left  in  1872  there  were  no  heathen." 

The  deeds  of  the  people  of  Aneityum  proved 
the  genuineness  of  their  conversion.  They  con- 
tributed of  their  small  resources  $5000  for  the 
first  complete  translation  of  the  Bible  in  a 
language  of  the  New  Hebrides.  The  entire 
product  of  their  cocoanut  trees  for  six  months 
they  gave  to  roof  two  churches.  They  have 
sent  more  than  fifty  natives  as  missionaries  to 
other  islands,  and  have  paid  for  their  mainte- 
nance. 

Work  in  Erromanga.  —  The  natives  of  this 
large  and  important  island  are  by  many  regarded 
as  the  most  degraded  and  unpromising  in  the 
whole  group.  A  very  full  study  of  their  physique, 
social  customs,  and  religious  ideas  will  be  found 
in  Robertson's  "  Martyr  Isle  of  Erromanga," 
Chapters  XVIII.  and  XIX.  In  this  brief  rec- 
ord it  will  be  enough  to  say  that  they  were  like 
others  already  described,  but  more  so ! 

After  the  murder  of  John  Williams  in  1839, 
several  attempts  were  made  by  native  teachers 
from  Samoa  to  Christianize  the  island.  It  is 
one  of  the  splendid  stories  of  the  church  uni- 
versal, how  these  Samoans,  just  raised  themselves 
from  the  depths  of  heathenism,  again  and  again 
took  up  the  banner  as  it  fell  from  dying  hands, 
and  pressed  on  to  conquer  this  blood-stained 
island  for  their  Crucified  Master.  By  1852, 
through  the  agency  of  these  Samoan  teachers 
and  converted  natives  of  Erromanga,  one  hun- 


162  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOR 

dred  had  been  won  from  heathenism  and  two 
chapels  built.  In  1857  a  young  Presbyterian 
minister  from  Nova  Scotia  settled  in  the  island 
with  his  wife  and  began  work  for  these  most  un- 
promising people.  In  1861  a  hurricane  and  an 
epidemic  of  measles  introduced  by  a  trading 
ship  alarmed  the  superstitious  natives.  Both  of 
these  they  believed  came  from  gods  who  were 
angry  because  they  were  listening  to  the  new 
teacher,  so  they  killed  brave  and  saintly  George 
Gordon  and  his  wife.  In  1864  a  younger  brother, 
James  D.  Gordon,  came  to  carry  on  the  work, 
and  eight  years  later  met  his  death  at  the  hands 
of  a  brutal  murderer.  At  the  time  of  his  murder, 
he  was  revising  a  translation  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  and  had  just  reached  the  prayer  of  the 
murdered  Stephen  when  he,  too,  "  fell  on  sleep." 
In  bitter  grief  and  weeping  the  Christian  natives 
laid  his  body  in  a  grave  by  the  seashore,  and 
vowe^  again  to  conquer  Erromanga  for  Christ. 
But  first  they  avenged  the  murder  of  their 
teacher  by  punishing  the  murderers  and  those 
who  had  sympathy  with  them.  In  the  pictu- 
resque narrative  which  one  of  them  gives  of  those 
dreadful  days  he  says:  "They  have  killed  our 
Misi!  and  are  we  going  to  allow  this  and  do 
nothing  ?  They  say '  These  Christians  are  women ; 
they  cannot  handle  the  battle-axe,  and  we  can 
kill  as  many  as  we  please.'  Now  let  us  show 
them  our  strength  if  we  have  any.  ...  So  we 
returned,  our  hands  red  with  blood,  and  our 
hearts,  perhaps,  red  too.  We  would  have  gone 
on  with  the  revenge,  but  we  said  that  if  we  did, 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     163 

the  missionaries  would  say  that  we  were  heathen 
and  murderers  ourselves.  But,  Misi,  though  we 
were  sorry  afterward  for  our  conduct,  I  some- 
times think  we  did  not  do  so  wrongly  as  some 
said  we  did.  The  heathen  had  killed  Mr.  Harris 
and  Mr.  Williams  and  Mr.  Gordon  and  his  wife, 
and  now  they  had  killed  my  own  Misi.  They 
said  we  were  'women.'  We  showed  them  we 
were  men  as  well  as  Christians,  and  that  we 
would  defend  our  friends  against  their  cruelties." 

When  the  news  of  Gordon's  death  came,  Hugh 
Robertson  of  Nova  Scotia  said,  "Here  am  I, 
send  me,"  and  with  his  brave  wife  took  up  the 
work  on  bloody  Erromanga,  where  he  still  lives 
and  labors.  In  him  the  mission  found  a  rugged 
Scotch-granite  Presbyterian  who  was  able  to 
build  on  the  foundation  cemented  in  Martyr- 
dom the  structure  of  the  new  Erromanga. 

In  1880  the  natives  built  at  Dillons  Bay  the 
Martyrs'  Memorial  Church,  and  paid  for  a 
thousand  copies  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
printed  in  their  own  tongue.  In  1889,  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  death  of  John  Williams, 
a  monument  was  erected  in  his  honor.  The 
man  who  laid  the  corner  stone  was  the  son  of  his 
murderer;  and  another  son  of  the  same  savage 
was  at  that  time  preaching  the  gospel  in  Aus- 
tralia. In  his  most  interesting  book,  "The 
Martyr  Isle  of  Erromanga,"  Mr.  Robertson  in- 
dulges in  no  rosy  exaggeration  regarding  the 
saintly  virtues  of  the  native  Christians.  He 
frankly  acknowledges  that  gratitude  is  a  rare 
virtue,  that  respect  for  elders  is  wanting,  that  the 


164  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

giving  of  a  bona  fide  present  with  no  expectation 
of  return  is  almost  unknown,  and  that  forgive- 
ness is  despised  as  a  weakness.  And  yet  the 
plain  facts  that  he  is  able  to  give  of  the  changes 
already  wrought  by  Christianity  in  these  people 
are  little  short  of  marvellous.  It  is  the  worst 
sort  of  Phariseeism  to  expect  in  these  fresh  con- 
verts from  the  most  degraded  heathenism  the 
same  ethical  standards  and  the  same  ripe  Chris- 
tian character  that  are  the  fruits  of  generations 
of  Christian  nurture  and  inheritance.  The 
changes  visible  in  two  generations  are  an  earnest 
of  what  the  final  result  will  be. 

John  G.  Paton  in  Tanna  and  Aniwa.  —  About 
ten  years  after  John  Geddie  set  to  work  in  Anei- 
tyum  and  soon  after  George  Gordon  went  to 
Erromanga,  Dr.  Paton  began  his  labors  in  the 
island  of  Tanna,  called,  from  its  great  volcanoes, 
"the  light-house  of  the  Pacific."  Through  his 
wonderful  autobiography  John  G.  Paton's  name 
has  become  known  to  thousands  who  care  little 
for  missionary  work.  In  this  most  interesting 
book  he  has  given  us  an  idyllic  picture  of  his 
boyhood  home  in  the  Scotch  highlands,  with  its 
plain  living  and  high  thinking.  From  such  a 
home  it  is  not  strange  that  such  a  man  should 
have  come. 

The  island  of  Tanna  had  already  had  a  troubled 
missionary  history.  Hither  John  Williams  had 
come  and  here  he  had  left  three  native  Samoan 
teachers.  The  teachers  either  died  or  were  com- 
pelled to  flee  from  the  island.  In  1842  the  mis- 
sionaries in  Samoa  sent  out  two  of  their  number, 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBBIDES,  MELANESIA     165 

Messrs.  Turner  and  Nesbitt  with  their,  wives. 
After  terrible  experiences  they  were  rescued  by 
a  passing  ship  and  returned  to  Samoa.  Two 
years  passed  before  other  Samoan  teachers  were 
sent  and  were  welcomed  eagerly  by  the  Tannese. 
When  the  malarial  season  again  came  around, 
the  fickle  and  superstitious  natives  attributed 
their  suffering  to  the  presence  of  the  teachers 
and  drove  them  from  the  island.  At  last  the 
Presbyterian  churches  of  Scotland,  Canada, 
Australia,  and  New  Zealand  united  to  assume  the 
care  of  this  island.  It  was  under  these  auspices, 
in  1858,  that  Dr.  Paton  and  two  associates  with 
their  wives  were  settled  on  the  island  of  Tanna. 
Here,  for  four  years,  was  carried  on  an  epic 
struggle  between  the  forces  of  good  and  evil, 
battling  for  the  possession  of  the  dark  islanders. 
There  were  times  when  the  very  powers  of  nature 
seemed  in  league  with  evil :  epidemics  came  and 
failure  of  crops,  and  hurricanes  threw  down  the 
church  and  the  missionaries'  houses.  Then  the 
priests,  who  had  seen  their  evil  power  waning  be- 
fore the  simple  preaching  of  the  truth  and  the 
friendly,  helpful  lives  of  the  missionaries,  would 
whisper  that  the  gods  were  angry  at  the  new 
teaching  and  therefore  this  evil  came  upon  them. 
Facing  death  in  a  thousand  hideous  forms, 
never  sure  of  a  friend  or  foe  in  the  fickle  crowd, 
the  missionaries  went  steadily  on,  teaching  the 
children,  healing  the  sick,  and  befriending  them 
all.  Perhaps  they  might  have  won  out,  after 
all,  if  only  they  could  have  been  free  from 
the  visits  of  Europeans  who  did  all  they  could 


166  CHBISTUS  EEBEMPTOR 

to  corrupt  and  enrage  the  natives,  and  to  create 
suspicion  of  the  missionaries.  The  immediate 
occasion  of  the  final  outbreak  was  the  deliberate 
introduction  of  measles  into  the  island  by  a  trad- 
ing ship.  Four  young  men  ill  with  the  measles 
were  landed  at  four  different  ports  and  sent 
among  the  natives.  To  Dr.  Paton's  solemn  pro- 
test against  the  outrage,  the  captain  shamelessly 
declared :  "  We  have  sent  the  measles  to  humble 
them.  That  kills  them  by  the  score.  Our 
watchword  is  —  Sweep  these  creatures  away, 
and  let  white  men  occupy  the  soil."  The 
fiendish  plot  succeeded  all  too  well,  for  to  the 
natives  this  new  disease  is  deadlier  far  than  small- 
pox among  us.  The  poor  people  were  swept 
away  by  hundreds;  among  the  rest  thirteen  of 
the  natives  closely  associated  with  the  mission 
party.  The  people  were  roused  to  fury.  They 
were  full  of  hatred  toward  all  white  men,  and 
resolved  to  drive  the  missionaries  from  the 
island.  The  friendly  visit  of  a  man-of-war 
checked  for  a  time  the  rising  tide  of  hostility. 
Commander  Seymour  reminded  the  natives  that 
they  had  invited  the  missionaries  to  come  among 
them,  and  pledged  their  word  to  protect  them; 
that  as  they  had  no  fault  to  find  with  Dr.  Paton, 
only  with  the  new  teaching,  which  could  do  them 
only  good,  they  must  promise  again  to  protect  the 
lives  of  the  missionaries.  Some  promised  readily, 
but  old  Nouka  disclosed  their  real  feeling  when 
he  said :  "  All  the  traders  tell  us  that  the  worship 
causes  all  our  sickness  and  death.  They  will 
not  trade  with  us,  nor  sell  us  tobacco,  powder, 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA     167 

balls,  caps,  and  muskets  till  we  kill  our  Misi  like 
the  Erromangans,  but  after  that  they  will  send  a 
trader  to  live  among  us  and  give  us  plenty  of  these 
things.  We  love  Misi,  but  when  the  traders  tell 
us  the  worship  makes  us  sick,  some  believe  them, 
and  our  hearts  do  bad  conduct  to  Misi.  Let 
Misi  remain  here  and  we  will  try  to  do  good  con- 
duct to  Misi,  but  you  must  tell  Queen  Toria  of 
her  people's  bad  conduct  to  us,  and  she  must 
keep  her  traders  from  killing  us  with  their 
measles  and  telling  us  lies  to  make  us  do  bad  con- 
duct. If  they  come  to  us  and  talk  as  before,  our 
hearts  are  very  dark,  and  may  again  lead  us  to 
do  bad  conduct  to  Misi." 

Perhaps  the  great  English  queen  never  heard 
this  appeal  of  these  dark-hearted  children,  for 
her  traders  continued  to  come  and  stir  up  evil, 
and  at  last  there  was  no  refuge  left  but  to  aban- 
don the  island.  Dr.  Paton  felt  that  the  clemency 
shown  toward  the  Erromangans  for  the  murder 
of  Gordon  worked  harm  to  the  Tannese  and  other 
natives.  The  immunity  from  punishment  en- 
joyed by  those  islanders  they  attributed  to  but 
one  cause,  fear,  and  to  the  weakness  of  the  white 
governments.  "Our  love  to  Erromanga,"  they 
said;  "  they  are  brave  and  strong  and  have  killed 
the  Jehovah  worship.  No  man-of-war  punished 
them  for  the  killing  of  Misi  Williams  and  Misi 
Gordon  and  the  Samoan  teachers.  If  they  are 
not  punished,  no  one  will  punish  us  if  we  kill 
you." 

Four  years  after  the  establishment  of  the  Mis- 
sion, the  anti-Christian  party  became  so  strong 


168  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

and  the  conditions  of  war  and  persecution  so 
terrible  that  nothing  remained  but  flight.  After 
displaying  superhuman  courage  and  overcoming 
terrible  obstacles,  the  three  missionaries  and 
their  faithful  native  helpers  were  taken  from  the 
island  on  a  passing  ship. 

The  friendly  chiefs  through  whose  assistance 
alone  the  escape  of  the  missionaries  was  possible 
sent  by  the  hand  of  Dr.  Paton  a  prayer  to  the 
"great  chief  at  Sydney/'  full  of  pathetic  groping 
for  the  light.  "We  great  men  of  Tanna/'they 
said,  "dwell  in  a  dark  land.  Our  people  are 
very  dark-hearted.  They  know  nothing  good. 
Misi  Paton,  the  man,  Misi  Mathieson,  the  man, 
and  Misi  Mathieson,  the  woman,  have  dwelt 
here  four  yams  (years),  to  teach  us  the  worship 
of  Jehovah.  Alas,  a  part  of  our  chiefs  .  .  . 
they  and  their  people  hate  the  worship  of  Je- 
hovah and  all  the  good  conduct  which  the  wor- 
ship teaches  us  and  the  people  of  all  lands. 
They  have  stolen  all  Misi's  property,  they  have 
broken  his  house  and  cut  down  his  bananas,  and 
they  desire  to  kill  Misi  and  eat  him  so  that  they 
may  destroy  the  worship  of  God  from  the  land 
of  Tanna.  .  .  .  We  hate  their  conduct  .  .  . 
and  pray  you,  the  chief  of  Sydney,  to  quickly 
send  a  war  boat  to  punish  them.  Then,  truly, 
we  will  rejoice;  then  it  will  be  good  and  safe 
for  the  three  missionaries  to  dwell  here  and  to 
teach  us.  Our  hearts  are  very  dark;  we  know 
nothing,  we  are  just  like  pigs.  .  .  .  We  ear- 
nestly pray  you  to  protect  us.  We  weep  for  our 
missionaries.    They   brought   us    medicine  for 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA     169 

our  sickness  and  clothing  for  our  bodies;  they 
taught  us  good  conduct  and  the  way  to  heaven. 
Of  these  things,  long  ago,  we  had  no  knowledge ; 
therefore  we  weep  and  our  hearts  cling  to  our 
missionaries.  If  they  three  are  not  here,  who 
will  love  us  and  teach  us  good  things?  Who 
will  prevent  our  bad  conduct?  Who  will  pro- 
tect us  from  foreigners?  Oh,  compassionate  us, 
Chief  of  Sydney!  .  .  .  You  and  your  people 
know  the  word  of  Jehovah;  you  are  going  on 
the  path  to  heaven,  oh,  look  in  mercy  on  us 
dark-hearted  men,  going  to  the  bad  land  as  our 
fathers  went  before  us  !  May  Jehovah  make 
your  hearts  sweet  toward  us  .  .  .  and  we  will 
pray  Jehovah  to  make  you  good,  and  give  you 
rich  reward." 

This  prayer  is  in  process  of  being  answered, 
for  after  some  years  it  was  found  practicable  to 
reopen  mission  work  on  the  island;  and  this 
hardest  mission  field  in  the  heathen  world,  as  it 
has  been  called,  seems  on  the  eve  of  full  surrender 
to  the  gospel. 

Aniwa.  —  After  having  been  driven  away 
from  Tanna,  Dr.  Paton  visited  Australia  and 
Scotland,  speaking  everywhere  for  mission  work 
in  the  New  Hebrides.  He  made  many  friends 
for  the  work,  and  succeeded  in  raising  enough 
money  to  build  and  equip  a  beautiful  little 
mission  schooner,  the  Dayspring,  to  cruise 
among  the  islands.  As  much  of  the  money  had 
been  raised  in  Sunday  schools,  this  was  called 
"the  children's  boat."  When  this  began  to 
sail  among  the  islands,  it  excited  the  greatest 


170  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

wonder.  The  natives  could  not  understand  how, 
when  they  had  killed  the  missionaries  or  driven 
them  away,  they  should  return,  not  to  trade  or 
get  gain,  but  to  tell  them  again  of  the  Jehovah 
God  whom  they  had  rejected. 

Returning  to  his  field,  Dr.  Paton  settled  with 
his  wife  in  Aniwa,  a  small  island  less  than  ten 
miles  long.  Here  he  had  to  learn  a  new  language 
and  begin  again  from  the  foundation  the  up- 
building of  Christian  truth  in  the  hearts  of  a 
people.  He  'had  learned  by  painful  experience 
to  choose  a  high  site,  free  from  malaria,  for  his 
dwelling.  He  selected  the  highest  site  on  the 
island,  a  breezy  hill,  a  sort  of  golgotha,  where 
the  bones  of  the  victims  of  cannibal  feasts  had 
been  thrown,  and  sacred  to  the  most  cruel  gods. 
When  the  natives  saw  that  he  got  no  harm  from 
the  angry  gods  by  building  in  this  accursed  spot 
(which  they  had  cheerfully  sold  him  hoping  for 
his  destruction),  they  began  to  think  that  his 
God  must  be  strong,  and  the  first  blow  against 
their  prison  wall  of  superstition  had  been  struck. 
The  story  of  his  years  of  service  on  this  little 
island  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling  in  the  annals 
of  missions.  It  has  been  told  for  us  in  his  Auto- 
biography and  in  Mrs.  Paton' s  letters  in  inimi- 
table fashion.  Mingled  lights  of  humor  and 
pathos  flash  across  the  scene.  The  building  of 
the  church,  the  wedding,  the  digging  of  the  well 
with  its  sermon  of  the  old  chief  Namakei,  are 
pictures  that  one  cannot  afford  to  miss.  Three 
years  after  his  arrival,  Dr.  Paton  celebrated  the 
Lord's  Supper  with  twelve   converts,  most  of 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA     171 

whom  had  been  murderers  and  cannibals.  The 
work  grew  rapidly,  schools  were  built,  the  Bible 
translated,  the  children  taught,  disease  cured, 
new  food  plants  and  industries  introduced.  In 
1892,  when  speaking  in  this  country,  Dr.  Paton 
said  that  the  whole  population  of  Aniwa  were 
more  openly  and  reverently  Christian  than  any 
other  community  that  he  had  ever  visited. 

The  Melanesian  Mission.  —  In  the  Loyalty, 
Santa  Cruz,  Solomon,  and  western  islands  of 
Melanesia,  the  work  has  been  carried  on  by  the 
Melanesia  Society  of  the  Anglican  Church  of  New 
Zealand.  In  1841  George  Selwyn  was  made 
missionary  bishop  and  sent  to  New  Zealand.  He 
was  of  the  best  type  of  English  university  man, 
strong,  athletic,  cultivated,  a  famous  oarsman 
and  sailor.  He  decided  in  1849  to  make  an  ex- 
tensive cruise  among  the  islands  of  Melanesia. 
When  he  reached  the  New  Hebrides,  he  took 
John  Geddie  with  him  on  a  tour  of  exploration. 
Bishop  Selwyn  had  wonderful  personal  charm 
and  courage.  He  went  with  perfect  fearlessness 
among  the  strange  cannibal  tribes,  picked  up 
their  language  as  by  magic,  and  gained  their 
confidence  quickly. 

Coleridge  Patteson.  —  In  1852  Bishop  Selwyn 
went  to  England  to  enlist  friends  and  money 
for  the  mission.  His  plan  was  to  use  a  mission 
vessel  to  cruise  among  the  islands;  to  take  prom- 
ising boys  to  Auckland  for  training,  locate 
them  as  teachers  on  the  islands,  and  keep  the 
work  up  by  frequent  visits  of  instruction  and 
encouragement. 


172  CHRISTUS  REBEMPTOR 

While  in  England  he  made  a  deep  impression 
on  a  gifted  boy  who  was  later  to  be  one  of  the 
apostles  to  Melanesia.  '  John  Coleridge  Patteson 
was  one  of  those  rarely  endowed  individuals  on 
whom  all  good  gifts  seemed  showered.  He  was 
bright,  manly,  attractive,  born  into  a  home  of 
high  social  position  and  earnest  spirituality. 
He  was  fortunate  in  everything;  temperament, 
parentage,  surroundings,  and  education  com- 
bined to  make  him  a  young  fellow  who  might 
aspire  to  any  honor  with  flattering  prospects  of 
attaining  whatever  distinction  he  sought.  When 
this  splendid  boy  at  Eton  heard  Bishop  Selwyn 
preach,  he  wrote  to  his  mother:  "When  he  had 
finished  I  think  I  had  never  known  anything 
like  the  sensation,  —  a  kind  of  feeling  that  if  it 
had  not  been  a  sacred  spot,  all  would  have  ex- 
claimed, 'God  bless  him!'"  Before  leaving 
England  Bishop  Selwyn  called  upon  the  Patte- 
sons  and  as  he  was  leaving  said,  "Lady  Patteson, 
will  you  give  me  Coley?  " 

Consecration  as  a  Missionary.  —  It  was  years 
later,  when  he  had  completed  his  studies  in 
Oxford,  that  Coleridge  actually  carried  out  the 
purpose  of  his  boyhood.  On  a  second  visit  of 
Bishop  Selwyn  to  England,  he  decided  to  aban- 
don the  brilliant  prospects  opening  before  him, 
and  go  as  a  missionary  to  far-off  Melanesia.  He 
accompanied  the  bishop  on  a  cruise  among  the 
islands  and  developed  the  same  genius  for  win- 
ning friendship  and  acquiring  a  language  that 
had  marked  the  older  man.  He  never  called  the 
islanders  savages,  but  always  "My  Melanesians." 


FIJI,   NEW  HEBRIDES,   MELANESIA      173 

Training  School  at  Auckland.  —  The  boys 
whom  he  gathered  from  the  islands  he  took  with 
him  to  the  training  school  at  Auckland.  There 
he  became  teacher,  father,  brother,  friend,  and 
playmate  to  his  boys.  He  taught  them  cricket, 
printing,  weaving;  he  nursed  them  when  they 
were  ill;  he  loved  them  dearly.  In  1861  John 
Coleridge  Patteson  was  made  missionary  bishop 
of  Melanesia,  and  continued  cruising,  teaching, 
and  preaching. 

His  Death.  —  In  1871  Bishop  Patteson  was 
cruising  with  his  native  helpers  in  the  Santa 
Cruz  Islands.  The  natives  here  had  been  much 
embittered  by  atrocities  committed  by  white 
traders.  The  bishop  went  unsuspectingly  ashore, 
trusting  in  the  regard  with  which  he  was  held 
throughout  the  islands. 

As  a  group  of  natives  came  up  to  him,  those  in 
the  boat  saw  them  offer  him  fruit  and  thought 
they  heard  the  word  tabu.  According  to  native 
custom  gifts  are  offered  to  a  victim  set  apart 
or  tabu  to  the  gods.  As  he  disappeared  among 
the  trees,  arrows  began  to  fly,  and  those  in  the 
boat  became  alarmed.  They  set  out  to  look 
for  the  bishop,  when  they  saw  a  canoe  floating 
out  toward  them.  In  it  lay  his  body,  five  wounds 
in  the  breast,  and  over  them  a  palm  branch  tied 
in  five  mystic  knots.  It  was  learned  later  that 
the  deed  was  in  retaliation  for  the  kidnapping 
and  death  of  five  natives  at  the  hands  of  the 
white  traders.  When,  later,  the  island  was 
visited,  it  was  learned  that  the  chief,  who  was 
absent  at  the  time,  punished  with  death  the  mur- 


174  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

derers  of  the  hero-bishop.     On  the  little  island 
now  stands  a  simple  cross  with  this  inscription :  — 

IN    MEMORY    OF 

JOHN    COLERIDGE    PATTESON,    D.D., 

MISSIONARY    BISHOP 

WHOSE    LIFE    WAS    HERE    TAKEN    BY    MEN 

FOR    WHOM    HE   WOULD 

GLADLY    HAVE    GIVEN    IT 

SEPTEMBER    20,  1871 

A  magnificent  memorial  pulpit  was  erected  in 
Exeter  Cathedral,  England. 

Present  Condition  of  the  Melanesian  Mission. 
—  In  the  beginning  of  the  work  Bishop  Selwyn 
made  two  firm  rules:  "First,  that  he  would 
never  interfere  with  any  Christianization  already 
undertaken  by  any  religious  body  or  sect  what- 
ever, so  that  he  would  never  bring  before  the 
islanders  the  great  stumbling-block  of  divisions 
among  Christians  who  should  be  as  brethren. 
Second,  that  in  taking  to  them  the  religion  of 
Englishmen,  he  would  in  no  way  force  upon 
them  English  methods  and  ways  of  life,  except 
in  so  far  as  they  are  part  of  morality  and  godli- 
ness. The  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  is  for  the  world, 
and  is  suitable  to  the  innocent  ways  and  habits 
of  every  part  of  that  world,  spite  of  all  differ- 
ences of  climate  or  temperament"  (Armstrong's 
"  Melanesian  Mission,"  p.  9). 

The  method  he  adopted  was  that  of  a  central 
mission  training  school,  whose  scholars  were 
collected  by  means  of  a  mission  ship.  This 
method  was  necessary,  since  the  diocese  extends 


FIJI,  NEW  HEBRIDES,  MELANESIA      175 

over  "  nearly  a  twelfth  part  of  the  circumference 
of  the  globe."  It  reaches  over  from  30  to  36 
degrees  latitude,  and  includes  one  hundred  isl- 
ands, some  larger,  some  smaller.  Almost  every- 
one of  these  islands  has  a  separate  language, 
or  at  least  a  separate  dialect,  of  its  own,  and 
some  of  them  possess  several  such,  highly  de- 
veloped, and  differing  at  least  as  much  as,  for 
example,  the  languages  of  France  and  Spain. 
Beginning  with  the  little  22-ton  schooner  "  Un- 
dine," the  size  and  power  of  the  mission  ships 
then  increased  with  the  development  of  the 
mission,  until  to-day  they  have  a  500-ton 
steamer,  with  sleeping  accommodations  for  sixty 
boys,  thirty  girls,  and  eighteen  missionaries,  men 
and  women,  besides  the  captain  and  the  crew. 
Chapel  and  schoolrooms  are  also  provided  on 
board.  This  makes  three  voyages  a  year,  stop- 
ping twice  or  oftener  at  each  of  the  one  hundred 
and  seventy  stations. 

Work  is  being  carried  on  vigorously  in  over 
thirty  islands  under  the  bishop,  twenty-six 
clergy  (nineteen  white,  seven  native),  and  eight 
laymen.  From  all  the  islands  boys  and  girls 
are  carried  away  to  school  at  Norfolk  Island  for 
training  lasting  over  seven  or  eight  years.  They 
are  then  sent  back  to  teach  their  own  people,  or 
others,  if  they  volunteer  for  missionary  work. 
They  are  now  being  trained,  and  five  hundred 
and  fifty  already  teaching  in  two  hundred  and 
fifty  schools  and  churches  with  more  than  six- 
teen thousand  scholars.  There  are  now  more 
than  twelve  thousand  baptized  in  the  native 
church  of  Melanesia. 


176  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 


QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS 

Write  biographical  sketches  of  John  Hunt,  James 
Calvert,  John  Geddie,  John  G.  Paton,  Coleridge  Pat- 
teson,  Bishop  Selwyn,  John  Inglis. 

Describe  the  Kanaka  labor  traffic,  the  sandalwood 
trade;  show  the  influence  of  each  on  the  Christiani- 
zation  of  the  natives. 

The  work  of  native  Samoan  and  Tongan  mission- 
aries. 

The  work  of  Wesleyans  in  Fiji,  the  Presbyterians 
in  the  New  Hebrides,  the  Church  of  England  in  Mela- 
nesia. 

Which  race  displays  the  greater  promise  for  future 
development,  the  Fijians  or  Samoans? 

Contrast  the  colonial  policies  of  Great  Britain  and 
France,  —  which  best  conserves  the  interests  of  the 
native  population? 

Compare  the  commercial  resources  and  possibili- 
ties of  the  New  Hebrides  and  the  Fijis,  — which  group 
has  greater  area,  population,  fertility? 

Make  an  outline  map  of  the  Fijis,  the  New  Heb- 
rides, showing  individual  islands. 


CHAPTER  V 

NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  AND  MALAYSIA 
NEW  ZEALAND 

Geographical.  —  There  are  two  principal  isl- 
ands, known  as  the  North  and  Middle  Islands, 
besides  the  South  or  Stewart  Island,  and  small 
outlying  islands.  The  area  of  North  Island  is 
about  equal  to  that  of  New  York,  forty-four 
thousand  square  miles,  and  of  Middle  Island 
to  that  of  Georgia,  fifty-eight  thousand  square 
miles.  Stewart  Island  contains  six  hundred 
and  sixty  square  miles.  The  group  extends  for 
a  thousand  miles  in  length.  The  coast  line  ex- 
tends three  thousand  miles. 

The  climate  has  been  compared  to  that  of 
England  with  the  seasons  reversed,  the  Great 
Bear  exchanged  for  the  Southern  "Cross,  and  the 
wintry  winds  of  the  North  for  the  frosty  breath 
of  the  antarctic  zone.  A  grand  range  of  moun- 
tains, some  of  its  peaks  towering  thirteen  thou- 
sand feet,  runs  through  the  islands  parallel  with 
the  west  coast.  Snow-capped  mountains,  deep 
fiords,  glaciers,  noble  rivers,  fertile  valleys,  and  roll- 
ing uplands  make  up  some  of  the  splendid  scenery 
of  the  islands.  The  mountains  are  clothed  with 
noble  forests,  the  farming  land  is  rich  and  fertile, 
and  over  the  whole  island  the  flowers  riot  in 

n  177 


178  CHEISTUS  REBEMPTOR 

exuberant  beauty.  The  islands  are  among  the 
most  healthful  spots  in  the  world. 

The  Aborigines.  —  The  primitive  people  of 
New  Zealand,  the  Maoris,  belong  to  the  great 
Polynesian  family.  They  are  closely  allied  to 
the  Samoans  and  Hawaiians  in  language  and 
traditions.  They  are  supposed  to  have  migrated 
from  Samoa  and  Raratonga  in  about  1400  a.d. 
Like  these  people,  they  are  tall  and  shapely, 
with  pleasing  features  and  wavy  black  hair. 
In  comparison  with  the  degraded  Australians 
they  were  a  noble  race,  but  they  also  have  their 
revolting  customs  and  degrading  superstitions. 
It  would  be  wearying  repetition  to  describe  in 
detail  their  customs.  To  the  tabu,  witchcraft, 
infanticide,  they  added  a  cannibalism  that  was 
wanting,  or  only  occasional,  in  other  purely 
Polynesian  peoples.  Not  only  did  they  feast 
upon  the  bodies  of  the  slain  enemies,  but  regu- 
larly fattened  slaves  for  their  orgies.  Many  of 
the  native  myths  are  full  of  poetry,  and  the  weav- 
ing and  primitive  arts  show  skill  and  taste. 

Contact  with  the  Whites.  —  The  Maoris,  like 
other  nature  people,  melted  away  as  they  came 
into  contact  with  foreign  races,  dwindling  from 
several  hundred  thousand  early  in  the  last  cen- 
tury to  forty-two  thousand  at  present.  The 
first  Europeans  with  whom  they  were  associated 
were  for  the  most  part  men  of  degraded  character. 
The  story  of  wanton  outrage  and  native  retalia- 
tion is  not  pleasant  reading:  the  convicts, the 
traders,  the  British  Colonization  Society,  were  all 
centres  of  corruption  and  oppression.    The  only 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   179 

force  acting  in  the  interests  of  the  native,  the 
only  force  that  preserved  this  interesting  savage 
people  from  extinction  and  enabled  it  at  last 
to  take  its  place  with  other  elements  in  the  popu- 
lation in  the  civilized  state  of  New  Zealand,  was 
that  of  Christian  Missions. 

Samuel  Marsden.  —  The  pioneer  missionary 
among  the  Maoris  was  Samuel  Marsden,  a  chaplain 
of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  penal  colony 
of  New  South  Wales  in  1792.  He  befriended 
the  ignorant  savages  against  whom  every- 
body's hand  was  turned,  and  in  1807,  while 
in  England,  persuaded  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  to  undertake  a  mission  to  the  Maoris. 
An  interesting  story  belongs  with  his  return 
to  New  Zealand  with  two  volunteers  for  this 
unknown  and  difficult  work.  In  the  ship  on 
which  they  sailed  from  London,  Mr.  Marsden 
observed  a  Maori  chief,  Ruatara,  disconsolate  I 
and  very  ill.  He  had  left  New  Zealand  to 
see  the  world,  and  habl  met  only  abuse  and 
imposition.  By  his  kindness  to  this  chief,  Mr. 
Marsden  gained  friendly  access  to  the  Maoris. 
Ruatara  took  him  among  his  people,  told  them 
of  the  great  world  outside,  and  enjoyed  their 
wonder  over  the  grist  mill  with  its  flour  and 
bread,  and  the  horse  which  Mr.  Marsden  had  «< 
brought.  The  history  of  the  mission  was  like 
that  of  others  in  the  Pacific  Islands.  There  was 
almost  constant  war,  unscrupulous  whites  poi- 
soned the  minds  of  the  natives,  superstition 
made  them  afraid  of  the  new  teachings;  but 
little  by  little  the  better  way  made  its  superiority 


180  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

felt  and  loved.  In  this  mission  also  the  influ- 
ence of  the  first  mission  to  Tahiti  was  felt.  A 
Christian  chief  from  Tahiti  came  to  Kerikeri, 
and  was  able  to  speak  to  the  people  in  his  own 
tongue,  so  similar  were  the  languages.  With 
his  Bible  in  hand  he  spoke  from  the  precious 
' '  little  gospel  "  in  John  iii.  16.  He  told  them  of 
the  mighty  changes  in  old  demon-ridden  Tahiti; 
he  urged  them  to  accept  the  same  Saviour  from 
sin.  It  was  ten  years  after  the  establishment  of 
the  mission  (1814)  when  the  first-fruits  began 
to  be  gathered.  And  it  was  not  until  1830  that 
the  first  public  baptism  took  place. 

Incidents  of  Native  Conversion.  —  The  first 
converts  were  most  eager  in  spreading  the  knowl- 
edge of  their  new-found  faith.  Three  boys,  cap- 
tives in  war,  so  taught  their  captors  that  when  a 
party  of  missionaries  went  for  the  first  time  to 
this  tribe  they  found  the  whole  multitude  able 
to  join  with  them  in  hymns  and  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  A  torn  prayer-book  and  a  part  of 
Luke's  gospel  were  picked  up  by  a  chief,  who 
found  some  one  to  read  them  to  him.  He  at 
once  saw  the  beauty  and  truth  of  the  teaching, 
and  took  passage  on  a  ship  to  Waimate  to  find 
a  missionary  for  himself,  and  learn  more  of  the 
truth  that  had  been  its  own  witness  to  his  thirsty 
soul.  Another  chief  asked  what  "the  black 
marks"  on  a  torn  page  that  he  chanced  to  find 
meant.  These  "black  marks"  chanced  to  be 
the  Ten  Commandments.  The  chief  listened, 
accepted  them  as  authentic  truth  to  be  obeyed 
and  not  discussed,  threw  away  his  false  gods, 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   181 

kept  the  Sabbath,  and  lived  up  to  the  require- 
ments of  the  heavenly  law  as  best  he  could. 
To  him  also  the  law  became  "a  schoolmaster  to 
lead  him  to  Christ."  "  In  spite  of  all  difficulties," 
says  Alexander,  "  by  the  year  1845  nearly  all  the 
tribes  of  New  Zealand  had  renounced  idolatry 
and  accepted  Christianity.  Schools  and  churches 
had  been  established  in  every  district;  agricul- 
ture, the  care  of  flocks  and  herds,  and  other 
peaceful  industries  were  taking  the  place  of  war, 
pagan  carousals,  and  cannibalism." 

White  Settlements.  —  By  1840  there  were  one 
thousand  Europeans  in  New  Zealand.  The 
rich  country,  the  enormous  undeveloped  re- 
sources, were  bound  to  attract  settlers,  and  with 
the  opening  to  immigration,  conflict  with  the 
natives  was  sure  to  come.  A  story  of  greed  and 
unscrupulous  exploiting  of  the  Maoris  similar  to 
our  own  treatment  of  the  Indians  followed.  In 
1825  Lord  Durham  formed  a  company  to  buy 
land  in  New  Zealand.  This  company,  without 
charter  from  the  crown,  brought  in  settlers  who 
bought  land  from  the  Maoris.  The  missionaries 
protested  to  the  government  that  the  rights  of 
the  natives  were  in  danger,  and  in  1839  New 
Zealand  was  made  a  part  of  the  colony  of  New 
South  Wales,  and  a  governor  sent  out.  Gov- 
ernor Hobson  gathered  the  great  chiefs  together 
and  secured  their  assent  to  a  treaty  by  which 
they  agreed  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  British 
queen,  and  the  government  promised  to  respect 
their  ownership  of  land  and  protect  their  rights. 
Thus  New  Zealand  became  a  British  province 


182  CHEISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

through  the  direct  influence  of  missionaries. 
The  chiefs  knew  and  trusted  them,  and  though 
great  efforts  were  made  by  land-grabbing  white 
men  to  prevent  their  signing,  in  confidence  that 
those  who  had  lived  among  them  knew  best 
their  real  interests,  they  signed.  A  commis- 
sioner was  appointed  to  look  into  the  alleged 
titles  by  which  the  New  Zealand  Land  Com- 
pany claimed  twenty  million  acres,  one-third 
the  land.  These  swelling  claims  were  re- 
duced to  two  hundred  and  eighty  thousand, 
and  finally  to  three  thousand  five  hundred  acres. 
A  Wicked  War.  —  While  the  British  govern- 
.ment  was  in  process  of  thus  settling  justly  the 
land  claims  of  the  natives,  the  unscrupulous  land 
company  precipitated  a  series  of  dreadful  wars 
that  cost  $60,000,000,  the  fives  of  thousands  of 
British  soldiers,  and  the  demoralization,  hos- 
tility, and  almost  the  extinction  of  the  Maoris. 
Ten  years  later  a  committee  of  the  New  Zealand 
House  of  Representatives  reported  that  the 
New  Zealand  Company  brought  on  these  dread- 
ful wars  because  it  would  not  await  the  decision 
of  the  courts,  beginning  the  war  "for  nothing 
which  an  ordinary  law  court  could  not  have 
decided."  Of  the  horrors  of  this  border  warfare, 
its  desperate  sorties,  the  fierce  courage  and 
fiercer  cruelty  of  the  natives,  their  skill  and 
daring,  and  their  sure  defeat,  we  shall  not  speak. 
Peace  was  finally  brought  about  through  the 
mediation  of  the  missionaries  in  1860.  The 
poor  remnant  of  the  Maoris  were  stripped  of 
a  million  acres  of  their  land,  and  —  so  great  is 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  G UINEA,  MALA  TSIA    183 

the  sacredness  of  property  rights  —  the  offend- 
ing New  Zealand  Company  was  paid  $100,000,000 
for  the  surrender  of  its  charter. 

Development  of  New  Zealand.  —  Since  1860 
a  new  state  has  been  created  out  of  the  frontier 
colony.  The  great  cities,  the  progressive  gov- 
ernment, the  growing  commerce,  the  splendid 
democracy  of  New  Zealand  are  the  pride  of  the 
Empire.  The  population  is  over  eight  hundred 
thousand  of  whom  forty  thousand  are  Maoris. 

Present  Condition  of  the  Maoris.  —  The  native 
population  has  been  the  charge  of  the  govern- 
ment in  very  much  the  same  way  as  has  our 
Indian  population.  They  are,  however,  allowed 
four  members  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 
For  these  they  vote  as  do  the  white  electors  for 
their  representatives.  In  1902  there  was  in 
the  House  of  Representatives  one  European 
member  to  every  ten  thousand  persons,  and  one 
Maori  member  to  every  ten  thousand  natives. 
At  the  Maori  election  fourteen  thousand  votes 
were  cast.  Following  the  demoralization  and 
weakness  of  the  long  wars,  there  is  emerging  a 
period  of  real  development  for  the  Maoris. 
Missions  among  them  are  prosperous.  Indus- 
trial missions,  schools,  kindergartens,  and  all 
the  agencies  for  civilizing  and  developing  them 
have  been  established.  There  are  in  addition 
one  hundred  and  one  village  schools  under  gov- 
ernment direction,  and  five  boarding  schools. 
The  government  expends  $100,000  yearly  in 
the  support  of  native  public  schools.  There  is 
in  addition  a  college,  several  of  whose  graduates 


184  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

have  attained  distinction  in  the  University  of 
New  Zealand.  The  steady  decline  in  population 
has  been  checked,  and  a  slow  increase  is  already 
apparent.  Better  education,  sanitary  precau- 
tions, better  buildings,  and  the  knowledge  and 
practice  of  agriculture  are  among  the  causes  for 
the  encouraging  state  of  affairs.  Meanwhile 
they  have  thrown  themselves  with  splendid 
heroism  into  pioneer  missionary  work  on  their 
own  account.  The  story  of  the  Maori  preachers 
and  teachers  of  the  Melanesian  mission  in  the 
Solomon  and  Santa  Cruz  Islands  is  as  fine  as 
anything  in  the  annals  of  the  South  Seas.  Their 
eighteen  thousand  church  members  support  not 
only  their  own  clergy  and  religious  services,  but 
these  foreign  mission  activities  as  well. 

NEW  GUINEA 

The  Land.  —  New  Guinea  is  the  largest  island 
in  the  world.  Within  its  ample  bounds  could 
be  packed  all  the  island  groups  we  have  been 
considering,  including  New  Zealand,  and  leave 
room  to  tuck  in  all  of  Great  Britain,  or,  if  we 
preferred,  three  states  like  New  York,  Ohio,  and 
Indiana.  It  contains  more  than  three  hundred  and 
ten  thousand  square  miles.  Its  length  is  four- 
teen hundred  miles;  its  greatest  width  four  hun- 
dred. Although  the  island  was  discovered  by  the 
Portuguese  in  the  sixteenth  century,  little  was 
known  about  it  with  the  exception  of  the  north- 
west portion  until  very  recently.  The  rich  re- 
sources of  the  island  have  been  undeveloped 
because  of  the  trying  nature  of  the  climate  and 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   185 

the  ferocity  of  the  natives.  Both  these  disadvan- 
tages may  prove  to  have  been  exaggerated.  The 
northwestern  portion  of  the  island,  comprising 
some  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  thousand  square 
miles,  belongs  to  the  Dutch,  and  is  comparatively 
settled.  The  northern  portion  of  eastern  New 
Guinea  was  made  a  German  protectorate  in  1884. 
This  comprises  an  area  of  seventy  thousand 
square  miles,  with  a  population  of  one  hundred 
thousand,  almost  wholly  native.  This  portion 
is  largely  unexplored  and  undeveloped.  Great 
Britain  has  what  is  probably  the  most  valuable 
portion  of  the  island,  the  southeastern  section, 
including  an  area  of  ninety  thousand  square 
miles,  and  a  population  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand.  The  climate  is  said  to  be  less 
trying  than  that  of  other  portions  of  the  island. 
The  Inhabitants.  —  There  are  said  to  be  nearly 
one  million  native  inhabitants  in  New  Guinea. 
Here  is  the  home  of  the  Papuan,  the  black, 
frizzly -haired  aborigine.  There  are  also  in  the 
south  men  of  the  same  race  as  the  Maoris  and 
other  Polynesians.  The  Stone  Age  is  still  exist- 
ing in  New  Guinea,  and  such  primitive  types  of 
human  life  as  are  elsewhere  hardly  found. 
Here  are  tree  dwellers  and  lake  dwellers;  men 
without  a  weapon,  implement,  or  utensil  made 
of  iron  or  any  metal.  Yet  with  their  rude  stone 
implements  they  execute  remarkable  carvings, 
build  good  houses,  and  make  themselves  many 
useful  tools.  Almost  devoid  of  clothing,  they 
ornament  their  bodies  with  elaborate  tattooing 
and  with  feathers,  necklaces,  and  nose  sticks. 


186  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

These  happy  people  have  no  money,  and  know 
the  need  of  none.  The  land  is  rich,  the  seas 
swarm  with  fish,  and  the  forests  with  game. 
No  one  starves,  and  none  need  beg.  Canni- 
balism and  unabashed  murder  detract  from  the 
charm  of  the  picture;  elaborate  tattooing  even 
seems  less  ornamental  when  one  knows  that  its 
elaboration  varies  directly  as  the  number  of 
victims  slain.  As  savages  go,  however,  the 
black  Papuan  and  the  brown  Polynesian  of 
New  Guinea  are  far  more  attractive  than  many 
others.  Their  women  are  not  sunk  in  such  a  pit 
of  degradation  to  begin  with.  Drudges  they 
are,  of  course,  but  domestic  affection  is  strong, 
and  tender  care  is  given  by  children  to  aged 
mothers  and  fathers.  The  natives,  too,  are  tem- 
perate, industrious,  and  not  openly  immoral, 
as  was  the  case  on  many  of  the  Pacific  Islands. 
Each  village  lives  in  suspicion  of  its  neighbors, 
and  at  enmity  with  them.  The  war  drums  beat 
their  weird  music  almost  continuously,  and  the 
fighting  dubu  is  the  most  prominent  building 
in  the  village.  Religiously  all  is  blank.  A 
slavish  fear  of  evil  spirits,  a  superstition  so  dense 
that  it  is  like  some  palpable  shroud  smothering 
the  energies  of  the  race,  a  groping  after  immor- 
tality, —  that  is  all. 

Early  Missions.  —  In  1854  Dutch  missionaries 
began  work  among  the  wild  aborigines  of  New 
Guinea.  They  held  on  with  true  Dutch  tenac- 
ity, but  were  not  sufficiently  strong  in  numbers 
or  support  to  effect  much.  One  by  one  they 
succumbed  to  the  climate  and  died.    In  1872 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALA  YSIA    187 

the  London  Missionary  began  a  great  work  on 
the  southeastern  portion  of  the  island  that  has 
been  since  annexed  by  the  British.  Mr.  Murray, 
Mr.  Gill,  and  Mr.  MacFarlane  were  transferred 
from  Polynesian  islands  where  they  had  been 
for  some  time  at  work.  Native  teachers  and 
preachers  from  the  Samoan,  Loyalty,  and  other 
islands  were  taken  and  stationed  among  the 
savages.  The  story  is  told  that  some  one  was 
discouraging  one  of  the  Polynesian  missionaries 
by  recounting  the  hardships  to  be  encountered. 

"Are  there  men  there?"  said  the  volunteer. 

"Men?  Yes;  horrible  cannibals  who  will 
probably  kill  and  eat  you." 

"That  settles  it,"  returned  this  missionary, 
whose  own  ancestors  were  savages  not  three 
generations  back,  "wherever  there  are  men,  there 
missionaries  are  bound  to  go." 

In  1877  James  Chalmers  was  transferred  to 
New  Guinea  from  Raratonga,  where  he  had  been 
stationed  for  ten  years.  He  found  Rev.  W.  G. 
Lawes  located  at  Port  Moresby,  where  he  had 
already  spent  three  of  four  years  of  hard  and 
discouraging  labor.  These  two  men  were  to  be 
associated  together  for  many  years  in  pioneer 
work  that  will  make  their  names  known  wherever 
the  story  of  New  Guinea  is  told.  It  is  no  slight 
to  the  self-denying  labors  and  splendid  consecra- 
tion of  other  missionaries  on  this  difficult  field 
to  bring  into  clear  relief  the  person  and  work  of 
James  Chalmers,  the  "Great  Heart  of  New 
Guinea,"  as  Stevenson  called  him. 

Early   Life   of   James   Chalmers.  —  Chalmers 


188  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

was  a  Scotchman.  Of  the  same  breed  as  McKay 
and  Livingstone,  like  theirs  his  childhood  was 
spent  in  a  home  glowing  with  high  ideals  and 
earnest  piety.  His  father  was  a  stone-mason  of 
Aberdeen;  his  mother  a  highland  lass  born  near 
Loch  Lomond.  The  boy  was  vigorous,  well 
endowed,  with  a  dash  and  courage  that  made  him 
a  leader  among  the  boys,  and  an  abundance  of 
animal  spirit  that  led  him  into  continual  mis- 
chief. While  in  Sunday-school  one  day  he 
heard  a  missionary  tell  of  the  Fiji  Islanders,  — 
their  cannibalism,  perils,  and  wonderful  story  of 
conversion,  —  when  the  speaker  said,  "I  wonder 
if  there  is  a  boy  here  who  will  some  day  be  a 
missionary  and  bring  the  gospel  to  cannibals." 
The  most  restless,  mischievous,  daring  boy  in 
the  room  was  the  one  who  said  deep  in  his  heart, 
"Yes,  I  will."  On  his  way  home  the  boy  knelt 
down  behind  a  stone  wall  and  prayed  God  to 
accept  him  and  make  him  a  missionary  to  the 
heathen.  Years  later,  after  a  period  of  care- 
lessness, he  renewed  his  boyish  vow,  and  gave 
his  life  to  the  service  of  Christ. 

His  first  work  was  as  a  city  missionary  in 
Glasgow.  He  there  decided  to  enter  the  min- 
istry and  went  to  Chestnut  College  in  prepara- 
tion for  foreign  missionary  service  under  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  The  reminiscences 
of  his  fellow-students  are  full  of  interest.  They 
speak  of  his  lithe  strength,  the  endless  sparkle 
of  his  eyes,  his  energy,  his  noise  and  pranks  and 
practical  jokes.  He  had  a  genius  for  friendship, 
and  joined  to  all  the  gay  good  humor  of  his 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA    189 

temperament  a  depth  of  spirituality  and  simple 
goodness  that  made  him  known  as  "Jesus 
Christ's  Man."  His  physical  prowess  and  cour- 
age, too,  impressed  them;  swimming,  football, 
skating,  climbing,  diving,  —  in  all  he  excelled. 
"Best,  whether  at  play  or  work,  in  class-room  or 
field,  in  mirth  or  in  prayer,  his  heart  was  always 
beating  for  the  things  of  God  and  His  kingdom." 
"He  carried  the  child's  heart  with  him  through 
life."  "He  used  to  pray  for  help  as  though 
he  were  at  his  mother's  knee,  and  to  preach  as 
though  he  were  sure  of  the  message  he  had  to 
deliver."  It  is  necessary  to  hold  all  these  ele- 
ments in  mind  to  understand  the  man.  The  fun, 
the  pranks,  the  practical  jokes,  the  athletic  delight 
in  adventure  and  daring,  belong  to  him  just  as 
inevitably  as  the  fervid  prayers  and  simple  faith 
that  made  it  "  one  of  the  privileges  of  life  to  have 
known  James  Chalmers."  Of  his  marriage,  his 
ordination,  his  going  to  Raratonga  in  1867,  and 
his  ten  years'  work  there  so  full  of  interest,  it  is 
impossible  to  speak. 

Work  in  New  Guinea.  —  When  Chalmers  went 
to  New  Guinea  in  1877,  the  work  was  in  the 
early  pioneer  stage.  Headquarters  had  been 
established  by  Dr.  MacFarlane  on  Murray 
Island,  and  his  plan  was  to  evangelize  largely 
by  native  helpers,  bringing  the  boys  to  a  training 
school  at  Murray  Island,  and  concentrating 
missionary  forces  there.  Chalmers  saw  that 
there  must  first  be  a  thorough  acquaintance  with 
the  people  on  the  mainland.  Their  ideas  and 
customs  must  be  gained  from  long  and  familiar 


190  CHEISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

association  with  them  in  their  homes,  and  work 
done  at  long  range  could  not  have  the  same 
power.  Like  Livingstone  in  Africa  he  spent  the 
greater  portion  of  his  time  in  itinerating  among 
the  people,  visiting  native  preachers,  settling  dis- 
putes, pushing  out  ever  lengthening  lines  of  in- 
vasion from  strategic  points.  He  had  a  marked, 
almost  an  uncanny,  power  over  the  natives. 
His  cheer,  his  hearty  songs,  his  quick  intuition 
and  unfailing  tact,  his  physical  strength  and 
prowess,  his  superb  courage,  and,  above  all, 
his  simple  brotherliness  won  their  passionate 
attachment.  Other  men  of  other  gifts  were 
needed  to  supplement  his  broad  pioneer  work, 
but  for  the  time  and  the  conditions  as  he  found 
them  he  could  not  be  surpassed.  His  policy  of 
broad  exploration,  wide  acquaintance  with  the 
natives,  the  placing  of  a  chain  of  stations  through- 
out the  coast,  and  systematic  protection  of  the 
natives  from  exploitation,  resulted  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  a  strong  and  remarkable  mission.  In 
1879  Mrs.  Chalmers  died,  and  he  was  left  to 
carry  on  his  work  alone.  Following  her  death 
he  removed  to  Port  Moresby,  and  made  this  the 
central  station,  with  a  training  school,  where  the 
natives  of  New  Guinea  could  be  prepared  to 
evangelize  the  island.  In  1882  he  wrote  con- 
cerning the  situation: — 

"The  death  of  heathenism  reigned  when  we  landed 
in  New  Guinea.  Generations  of  superstition  and 
cruelty  had  produced  a  people  sunk  in  crime,  a  people 
to  whom  murder  was  a  fine  art,  and  who  from  their 
earliest  years  studied  how  best  to  destroy  fife.  .  .  . 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   191 

All  these  things  are  changed  in  1882.  For  two  years 
there  have  been  no  cannibal  feasts.  Tribes  that  could 
not  formerly  meet  except  to  fight,  sit  side  by  side 
in  the  same  house  worshipping  the  true  God.  .  .  . 
The  natives  thought  at  first  that  we  had  been  com- 
pelled to  leave  our  own  country  because  of  hunger. 
The  following  conversation  took  place  shortly  after 
my  arrival.  'What  is  the  name  of  your  country?' 
'Beritani.'  'Is  it  a  large  land?'  'Yes.'  'What  is 
your  chief?'  'A  woman  named  Victoria.'  'What! 
a  woman!'  'Yes,  and  she  has  great  power.'  'Why 
did  you  leave  your  country?'  'To  teach  you,  and 
tell  you  of  the  great  loving  Spirit  who  loves  us  all.' 
'Have  you  cocoanuts  in  your  country?'  'No.' 
'Have  you  yams?'  'No.'  'Have  you  taro,  have  you 
sago?'  'No.'  'Nor  breadfruit  nor  sweet  potatoes ? ' 
'No.'  'Have  you  hoop  iron  and  tomahawks?'  'Yes.' 
'We  understand  now.  You  have  nothing  to  eat  in 
Beritani;  but  have  plenty  of  tomahawks,  and  come 
here  to  buy  food.' 

"I  am  astonished  at  the  apparent  fear  and  ner- 
vousness about  our  climate  and  the  natives.  The 
natives  are  savages,  and  are  often  very  cruel,  but 
once  get  to  know  them  and  you  love  them.  The 
climate  is  savage  as  the  people,  but  when  once  acclima- 
tized men  have  for  years  done  good  work.  We  have 
eastern  Polynesian  teachers  who  have  been  in  New 
Guinea  for  ten  years,  and  are  fresh  for  work.  Is  it 
impossible  to  find  missionaries  who  will  gladly  dare  all 
for  Christ?  Men  and  women  who  think  preaching 
and  living  the  gospel  the  grandest  work  on  earth? 
Leave  the  twaddle  about  sacrifices  to  those  who  do 
not  appreciate  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross.  Let  the 
church  give  her  best  in  heart,  mind,  and  body  for 
Christ's  world  work.  We  want  men  who  will  thor- 
oughly enjoy  all  kinds  of  roughing  it,  who  will  be 
glad  when  ease  and  comfort  can  be  had,  but  who 
will  look  upon  all  that  comes  as  only  the  pepper  and 
salt,  giving  zest  to  work,  and  creating  the  appetite 
for  more." 


192  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOB 

The  Tobacco  Question.  —  Objection  had  been 
made  in  England  that  Chalmers  was  depending 
entirely  too  much  on  tobacco  as  an  evangelizing 
agency.  The  defence  of  the  mission's  policy 
casts  an  amusing  light  on  the  practical  good 
sense  of  "Tamate"  as  the  natives  called  him. 
It  seemed  that  each  teacher  (Polynesian  native 
missionary)  was  allowed  one  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds  of  tobacco  each  year.  This  was 
his  currency  with  which  he  bartered  for  all 
needed  labor  and  supplies,  and  the  open  sesame 
to  native  confidence  and  friendship.  In  the 
reply  sent  by  Dr.  Lawes  and  Mr.  Chalmers  to 
the  official  note  of  inquiry,  it  was  brought  out 
that  the  choice  lay  largely  between  tomahawks 
and  tobacco  as  a  medium  of  exchange,  and  that 
a  cent's  worth  of  tobacco  would  go  as  far  as  a 
shilling  tomahawk.  Furthermore,  both  agreed 
that  tobacco  had  won  them  good  friends  among 
strange  people  in  very  strange  places. 

Annexation  of  New  Guinea.  —  In  1883  the 
missionaries  were  much  distressed  at  the  pros- 
pect that  Queensland  might  annex  New  Guinea. 
The  record  of  this  colony  was  very  black  so  far 
as  its  treatment  of  the  native  races  was  con- 
cerned. Kidnapping,  forced  labor,  land  grab- 
bing, the  drink  traffic,  and  every  species  of  cruel 
oppression  had  marked  their  intercourse  with 
Polynesians.  Happily  the  Imperial  government 
did  not  suffer  these  fears  to  be  realized,  but  itself 
took  the  government  of  the  large  portion  of  New 
Guinea  annexed  in  1884.  The  services  of 
Chalmers   and  Lawes   in  the   proclamation   of 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA  193 

annexation  and  establishment  of  sovereignty 
were  invaluable.  They  accompanied  the  man- 
of-war,  brought  inland  chiefs  to  the  great  cere- 
mony, explained,  interpreted,  and  acted  as  good 
friends  of  the  blacks  and  loyal  servants  of  the 
queen.  Commodore  Erskine  in  his  official  re- 
port fully  recognized  the  great  value  of  the 
services  rendered  by  the  missionaries.  His 
persistent  opposition  to  the  land  grabbers  and 
the  kidnappers  of  Kanaka  labor  made  Mr. 
Chalmers  cordially  hated  by  large  bodies  of 
commercial  gentlemen  with  schemes  to  get  rich 
quickly  by  exploiting  the  natives.  Many  calum- 
nies and  slanders  were  started,  and  found  then- 
way  to  England,  but  did  little  to  trouble  the 
lion-hearted  man  who  was  laying  down  his  life 
for  "his  people."  He  succeeded  in  having  in- 
corporated into  the  government's  plan  of  ad- 
ministration, the  prohibition  of  the  importation 
of  firearms,  intoxicants,  and  explosives,  the  safe- 
guarding of  the  employment  of  native  labor  by 
stringent  regulation,  and  the  prohibition  of  the 
purchase  of  land  from  natives  save  through 
government  agency.  In  a  paper  written  at  the 
time  of  the  annexation  Tamate  gave  forth  some 
characteristic  views  on  the  subject  of  too  rapid 
Europeanizing  of  the  natives,  which  we  cannot 
forbear  to  quote :  — 

"The  natives  of  New  Guinea  now  under  British 
rule  do  not  wear  much  clothing,  and  it  is  desirable  that 
they  be  encouraged  to  use  very  little.  Nowhere  do 
men  want  more  than  a  loin  cloth,  and  every  effort 
should  be  made  to  discourage  anything  more.    The 


194  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

women  should  be  encouraged  to  take  to  petticoats  and 
nothing  more.  Too  little  attention  is  paid  to  the 
effect  of  clothing  upon  native  races.  These  clothed 
natives  are,  I  believe,  only  hurrying  along  an  easy 
and  respectable  road  to  the  grave.  .  .  .  Retain  native 
customs  as  much  as  possible — only  those  which  are  very 
objectionable  should  be  forbidden  —  and  leave  it  to 
the  influence  of  education  to  raise  them  to  purer  and 
more  civilized  customs." 

Visit  to  England.  —  In  1886  Chalmers  returned 
to  England  after  an  absence  of  twenty-one  years. 
He  made  a  round  of  the  churches,  speaking  in 
many  cities  and  producing  a  profound  impres- 
sion. "His  burning  enthusiasm,  his  love  for  his 
work,  his  massive  frame  and  head,  his  flashing 
eye,  his  trumpet-toned  voice,  touched  every  heart 
in  the  multitudes  who  listened  to  him."  He 
called  himself  a  bronzed  savage,  and  was  much 
surprised  to  find  the  interest  he  roused.  In 
Exeter  Hall  he  said :  — 

"  I  have  had  twenty-one  years'  experience  among 
natives.  I  have  seen  the  semicivilized  and  the  un- 
civilized; I  have  lived  with  the  Christian  native  and 
I  have  lived,  dined,  and  slept  with  the  cannibals.  .  .  . 
For  at  least  nine  years  of  my  life  I  have  lived  with  the 
savages  of  New  Guinea;  but  I  have  never  yet  met 
with  a  single  man  or  woman,  or  a  single  people,  that 
your  civilization  without  Christianity  has  civilized.  .  .  . 
Wherever  there  has  been  the  slightest  spark  of  civili- 
zation in  the  Southern  Seas  it  has  been  because  the 
gospel  has  been  preached  there,  and  wherever  you 
find  in  the  island  of  New  Guinea  a  friendly  people, 
there  the  missionaries  of  the  cross  have  been  preaching 
Christ.  Civilization !  The  rampart  can  only  be  stormed 
by  those  who  carry  the  cross.  Recall  the  twenty-one 
years,  give  me  back  all  its  experience,  give  me  its 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   195 

shipwrecks,  give  me  its  standings  in  the  face  of  death, 
give  it  me  surrounded  with  savages  with  spears  and 
clubs,  give  it  me  back  again  with  spears  flying  about 
me,  with  the  club  knocking  me  to  the  ground,  give  it 
me  back,  and  I  will  still  be  your  missionary ! " 

When  Chalmers  left  England,  in  1887,  through 
the  kindness  of  the  Eastern  Telegraph  Company 
he  was  allowed  the  privilege  of  sending  home 
free  telegrams.  One  of  these  crept  into  the 
press,  and  caused  much  merriment.  It  ran: 
"  Had  several  attacks  of  fever.  Now  well.  Send 
one  gross  tomahawks,  one  gross  butchers'  knives. 
Society  pay.  Going  East,  try  make  friends  be- 
tween tribes."  Many  were  the  jokes  over  this 
sanguinary  method  of  making  friends,  by  those 
who  did  not  realize  that  tomahawks  and  butchers' 
knives  were  currency  in  New  Guinea. 

Return  to  Field.  —  Soon  after  his  return  to 
New  Guinea,  Tamate  was  married  again,  the 
second  Mrs.  Chalmers  taking  up  her  work  as  a 
teacher  of  the  children  at  Port  Moresby.  It  was 
when  her  health  was  breaking  under  the  strain 
of  the  climate,  the  terrible  loneliness,  the  poor 
food,  that  the  Chalmerses  met  the  Stevensons 
while  on  a  voyage  for  recuperation  to  Raratonga 
and  Samoa.  They  journeyed  east  in  the  same 
ship,  and  then  was  formed  the  friendship  that  has 
become  famous  between  the  great  missionary 
and  the  great  author.  Both  men  were  brilliant 
in  conversation,  full  of  personal  charm  and 
versatility,  and  each  recognized  the  other's 
wealth  of  character.  With  Robert  Louis  Ste- 
venson  this    admiration    was    a    hero-worship 


196  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

such  as  he  felt  for  no  other  man  of  modern 
times  save  Gordon. 

"As  big  as  a  church,"  Stevenson  calls  Chalmers 
in  one  of  his  letters;  "a  pioneer  of  civilization 
and  love"  who  stimulates  "to  greater  courage  in 
taking  up  the  cross  that  all  heroic  souls  have 
taken  —  the  cross  of  light  and  progress." 

Stevenson's  Testimony.  —  Through  men  like 
Chalmers  and  through  his  daily  observation  of 
his  own  Samoans  trained  by  missionary  in- 
fluence, Robert  Louis  Stevenson's  ideas  of  mis- 
sions underwent  a  decided  change  during  his 
years  of  residence  in  the  South  Seas.  It  was  in 
an  address  given  at  Sydney  in  1893  that  Stevenson 
said:  "I  conceived  a  great  prejudice  against  mis- 
sions in  the  South  Seas,  and  had  no  sooner  come 
there  than  that  prejudice  was  first  reduced  and 
then  at  last  annihilated.  Those  who  debate 
against  missions  have  only  one  thing  to  do,  to 
come  and  see  them  on  the  spot.  They  will  see 
a  great  deal  of  good  done;  they  will  see  a  race 
being  forwarded  in  many  different  directions, 
and  I  believe,  if  they  be  honest  persons,  they 
will  cease  to  complain  of  mission  work  and  its 
effect." 

At  Raratonga.  —  After  a  pleasant  time  spent 
in  Samoa,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chalmers  went  on  to 
Raratonga,  the  scene  of  his  first  ten  years  of 
missionary  labor.  In  this  beautiful  spot  they 
found  the  climate  perfect,  the  surroundings  de- 
lightful, the  people  charmingly  kind,  but  were 
both  anxious  to  be  back  in  dark  New  Guinea. 

The  Fly  River.  —  On  his  return  to  New  Guinea 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   197 

the  directors  desired  Mr.  Chalmers  to  undertake 
the  opening  of  new  work  to  the  west,  and  the 
explorations  and  settlements  along  the  Fly  River. 
His  fourth  shipwreck  occurred  at  this  time,  one 
of  his  numerous  hairbreadth  escapes.  The 
field  was  of  enormous  extent,  and  involved  con- 
stant travelling  and  severe  hardship.  Scores  of 
new  native  teachers  were  being  sent  from  the 
eastern  islands  and  must  be  placed  in  their 
stations,  and  their  work  supervised  over  the 
whole  of  British  New  Guinea.  Through  the 
New  Guinea  wilderness  he  was  the  pathfinder. 
"No  one  knows  the  Fly  River,"  he  writes,  "and 
only  now  are  tribes  and  villages  coming  to  light, 
and  to  each  one  we  want  to  bring  the  gospel. 
No  use  finding  fault,  but  the  Fly  River  is  a  bad, 
bad  river,  unknown  to  any  one.  I  look  through 
glasses  beautifully  clear,  and  I  see  savage  tribes, 
now  unknown,  sitting  and  being  taught  of  Jesus." 
We  get  fragments  of  prayers  that  he  taught  his 
wild  men  in  these  tours:  "Great  Spirit  of  Love, 
give  me  light;  save  me  for  Jesus'  sake;"  or, 
"Jesus  Christ,  Chief,  give  me  inward  light, 
Amen."  One  of  them  he  heard  praying  for  help 
to  live  a  holy  life  here,  and  for  "the  place  of 
laughter"  hereafter. 

"On  Saturday  we  had  all  the  children,"  he 
writes,  "and  they  were  made  happy,  and  their 
Friend  and  our  Friend  was  happy  too,  I  guess. 
Can  there  be  anything  to  give  more  real  pleasure 
than  the  feeling  we  have  made  Him  happy 
through  helping  His  own  little  ones  ?  " 

Second  Visit  Home.  —  In  1895  occurred  the 


198  CHEISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

centenary  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
when  the  directors  sent  for  Tamate  to  speak  in 
the  great  meetings  to  be  held  throughout  Eng- 
land. He  found  the  cold  climate  very  trying, 
but  threw  himself  with  tremendous  energy  into 
presenting  the  mission  to  thousands.  His  sim- 
plicity, fervor,  and  contagious  enthusiasm  won 
friends  for  the  cause. 

Closing  Years.  —  After  the  return  in  1896  Mrs. 
Chalmers's  health  began  to  fail,  and  in  1900  she 
died  very  peacefully  and  gently  in  her  husband's 
arms.  "Thank  God,"  he  wrote,  "for  sympathy 
and  love.  The  world  is  full  of  both  as  it  is  of 
God."  After  her  death  the  lonely  man  found 
his  work  the  only  solace  left  to  him.  He  com- 
pleted his  homely,  vivid  account  of  his  own  life, 
and  the  sketch  of  his  wife's  life.  He  gave  much 
thought  to  the  growing  work  and  its  needs. 
"The  temptation  to  settle  down  quietly  and  act 
the  very  respectable  missionary  is  great.  Whole- 
souled  devotion  to  Christ  and  to  His  work  would 
soon  be  more  abundantly  blessed.  Mad  for 
Christ's  sake,  cast  out  for  Christ's  sake!  To  do 
really  true  missionary  work  in  New  Guinea  re- 
quires roughing  it,  and  to  have  many  unpleasant 
experiences  by  sea  and  land."  Only  a  little 
before  the  trip  from  which  he  never  returned, 
he  wrote :  "  There  will  be  much  visiting  in  heaven, 
and  much  work.  I  guess  I  shall  have  good 
mission  work  to  do,  great,  brave  work  for  Christ. 
He  will  have  to  find  it,  for  I  can  be  nothing  less 
than  a  missionary." 

He  had  gone  with  native  helpers  and  Mr. 


NE  W  ZEALAND,  NEW  G  UINEA,  MALA  YSIA    199 

Tomkins,  a  young  missionary,  to  make  some 
explorations  on  Goaribari  Island,  and  was  there 
murdered  by  the  natives.  The  details  will  never 
be  fully  known  until  a  mission  shall  have  been 
established  in  that  wild  corner  of  New  Guinea, 
and  the  story  learned  from  those  who  took  part 
in  the  dreadful  deed. 

The  governor  of  New  Zealand  visited  the 
scene  of  the  murder  with  troops  that  destroyed 
all  the  war  temples,  or  dubus,  in  the  villages  of 
this  large  island.  "Mr.  Chalmers,"  said  the 
governor,  "came  to  New  Guinea  in  the  interest 
of  peace,  and  he  gave  his  life  for  that  purpose. 
The  news  of  this  expedition  will  spread  and  will, 
I  trust,  put  an  effectual  end  to  massacres  and 
fighting  of  any  serious  nature.  If  that  be  so, 
it  will  serve  to  crown  the  life-work  of  this  noble 
man."  The  news  of  his  death  was  received  with 
passionate  sorrow  by  the  thousands  of  natives  to 
whom  he  had  been  friend  and  father.  Tributes 
of  respect  and  sympathy  were  made  in  all  parts 
of  the  Empire. 

Ruatoka,  one  of  the  pioneer  teachers  who  had 
accompanied  Chalmers  to  New  Zealand  from 
Raratonga,  and  had  shared  with  him  all  the 
labors  and  perils  of  the  long  years  since,  wrote 
after  the  massacre :  — 

"I  have  wept  much.  My  father  Tamate's 
body  I  shall  not  see  again,  but  his  spirit  we  shall 
certainly  see.  Hear  my  wish.  It  is  a  great 
wish.  The  remainder  of  my  strength  I  would 
spend  in  the  place  where  Tamate  and  Mr. 
Tomkins  were  killed.     In  that  village  would  I 


200  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

live.  In  that  place  where  they  killed  men, 
Jesus  Christ's  name  and  His  word  would  I  teach 
to  the  people  that  they  may  become  His  children. 
My  wish  is  just  this.  You  know  it.  I  have 
spoken." 

Rev.  Joseph  King  said  of  the  martyred  mis- 
sionary :  — 

"One  of  the  elements  of  Chalmers's  greatness 
was  his  modesty.  I  never  heard  him  sound  his 
own  trumpet.  He  could  fight  and  he  could 
weep.  The  secret  of  his  missionary  success  was 
to  be  found  in  this,  that  he  never  doubted  his 
possession  of  a  gospel  for  savages;  never  so 
fully  did  he  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  had  a 
message  for  the  cannibals  of  New  Guinea  as 
when  he  started  on  his  last  expedition." 

Later  History  of  the  Mission.  —  In  British 
New  Guinea  to-day  the  London  Missionary 
Society  (Chalmers'  Society),  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  Australian 
Wesleyans  are  working.  Missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  England  went  to  New  Guinea  in  1891 
and  a  bishop  was  sent  in  1898.  The  area 
undertaken  by  the  church  for  work  amongst 
the  heathen  is  situated  on  the  northeast  coast, 
including  in  all  300  miles  of  coast  and  the  land 
lying  behind  it. 

The  mission  staff,  drawn  from  Australia, 
numbers  thirty,  viz.  the  bishop,  three  clergy, 
eight  lay  workers,  eight  ladies,  and  ten  South 
Sea  Islanders.  A  Christian  industrial  settlement 
has  been  established,  —  a  cocoa-palm  plantation. 
Twelve  mission  stations  have  been  established 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   201 

with  schools  containing  1043  children,  and 
services  are  held  every  week  at  forty  centres, 
some  entirely  by  native  evangelists.  Other 
places  are  visited  at  regular  intervals,  about 
10,000  natives  in  all  being  influenced.  The 
stations  fairly  cover  half  the  300  miles  of  coast- 
line above  referred  to.  The  mission  has  es- 
tablished a  day  school  at  Samarai,  and  has  thus 
supplied  the  only  opportunity  of  education  to 
the  white  and  half-caste  children  gathered  at 
this  main  centre  of  trade  and  influence  in 
British  New  Guinea.  The  bishop  held  his  first 
ordination  during  the  past  year. 

MALAYSIA 

Through  the  kindness  of  Madame  H.  J.  de  la 
Bassecour  Caan,  a  lady  of  Holland,  the  following 
brief  sketch  of  Dutch  Missions  in  the  Dutch 
East  Indies  has  been  prepared.  It  gives  to  our 
American  and  English  churches  a  glimpse  of 
Dutch  missionary  activity  that  makes  us  eager 
to  learn  more. 

The  Dutch  settlements  in  the  East  are  very 
extensive.  They  form  a  vast  archipelago,  ex- 
tending from  the  ninety-fifth  to  the  one  hun- 
dred forty-first  degree  of  longitude,  and  from 
the  fifth  degree  north  of  the  equator  to  the 
eleventh  degree  south. 

The  population  varies  much  in  the  different 
parts,  and  the  languages  are  almost  innumerable. 
Yet  the  greater  part  belongs  to  the  Malay- 
Polynesians.  In  the  western  extremity,  the 
island  of  Sumatra,  situated  southwest  of  Malacca, 


202  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

unmixed  Malays  are  found.  In  the  northeast 
part,  New  Guinea,  the  Papuans. 

Concerning  the  religion  of  the  heathen  abo- 
rigines, a  remarkable  conformity  is  found,  and 
that  conformity  does  not  only  concern  the 
Asiatic  Archipelago,  but  even  extends  to  the 
population  of  Europe  in  their  heathen,  or  rather 
their  ante-heathen,  time.  Heathenism  is  the  de- 
nomination of  a  religion,  but  there  is  an  infantile 
belief  of  the  nations  distinct  from  the  religious 
belief.  According  to  these  childish  notions, 
people  consider  the  whole  of  nature  as  alive. 
They  see  in  every  object  two  sides,  the  inanimate, 
material  side,  and  the  living  side,  i.e.  the  soul. 
They  do  not  consider  the  soul  as  immortal  and 
supernatural,  but  as  the  animating  power  that 
entertains  the  life  of  the  body.  This  soul  enters 
into  the  body  when  a  man  is  born,  but  it  does 
not  only  exist  in  man  and  animals.  It  is  found 
in  stones,  metal,  and  plants  as  well ;  nothing  is 
void  of  it.  The  one  thing  a  man  has  to  do  is 
to  take  care  of  that  soul  for  fear  of  dying,  and 
that  instinct  of  life  is  so  strong,  that  it  provokes 
people  to  cut  off  other  people's  heads  in  order 
to  capture  the  soul,  the  life's  elixir,  contained 
in  the  scalp. 

Traces  of  this  "Animism"  are  found  amongst 
all  the  nations  of  India.  It  is  no  religion,  for 
it  relates  to  temporal  life  only,  and  its  professors 
do  not  concern  themselves  much  with  gods, 
priests,  worship,  or  external  life.  One  of  our 
missionaries,  Mr.  A.  C.  Kruyt,  has  made  a  special 
study  of  Animism. 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA  203 

Intimately  connected  with  Animism  is  Spirit- 
ism. After  death  a  second  soul  comes  to  light 
and  appears  as  a  ghost.  Spirits  and  ghosts  try 
to  do  harm  to  the  living,  or  will  benefit  them. 
The  spirits  of  the  ancestors  will  sometimes  pro- 
tect their  descendants  against  bad  influences, 
sometimes  try  to  attract  their  souls  to  their  own 
dwelling-place  and  thus  cause  their  death.  To 
propitiate  the  spirits,  presents  are  given,  sacrifices 
made,  and  often  the  help  of  male  or  female  priests 
is  wanted.  Occasionally  the  spirit  takes  posses- 
sion of  a  priest  or  other  person,  sometimes  of  a 
child,  and  speaks  through  that  person.  This  is 
what  is  called  "Shamanism." 

When  the  spirit  is  thought  to  be  incorporated 
in  some  object  it  is  called  "  Fetichism." 

In  this  way  the  simplest  and  lowest  form  of 
religion  is  born.  Generally  those  same  people 
have  a  vague  notion  of  a  Creator,  but  he  is  not 
worshipped,  or  not  as  much  as  the  lower  gods. 
They  also  have  a  strong  belief  in  a  life  hereafter, 
which  is  represented  as  similar  to  the  life  on 
earth. 

In  many  parts  of  the  archipelago,  Hinduism 
and  Islamism  have  been  adopted  by  the  natives. 
Hinduism  has  exercised  some  influence  in  the 
south  of  Celebes,  and  in  Sumatra,  but  the  chief 
basis  of  its  operation  was  Java,  with  the  neigh- 
boring islands,  Madura,  Bali,  and  Lombok. 
Hindu  influences  in  Java  were  traced  from  the 
first  century  till  the  fourteenth  century,  during 
which  period  the  island  was  ruled  for  the  greater 
part  by  the  Hindu  conquerors,  who  founded  a 


204  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

mighty  empire  called  Modjopahit;  but  in  the 
beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century  they  were 
conquered  by  Islam.  Ruins  of  beautiful  Bud- 
dhist temples  are  still  found,  but  Buddhism  was 
not  accepted  by  the  population  as  generally  as 
Brahmanism,  and  especially  Siwaism.  The  latter 
is  still  found  in  the  islands  of  Bali  and  Lombok, 
and  in  Java  is  one  heathen  tribe,  the  "  wong 
Tengger,';  which  is  still  Brahmanist.  Another 
smaller  tribe,  on  the  western  part  of  the  island, 
the  Badoeis,  are  also  heathen.  All  the  other 
natives  in  Java  and  some  of  those  of  Lombok 
and  Bali  are  Mohammedans,  but  the  old  Hindu 
doctrines  and  ways  of  thinking  still  influence 
them,  as  well  as  the  ancient  superstitions  con- 
nected with  Animism. 

In  some  parts  of  Sumatra,  Borneo,  Celebes, 
and  in  the  smaller  islands  Islam  is  inherent;  in 
other  islands  the  natives  are  still  heathen;  and 
on  the  coast  many  Mohammedans  live  as  traders, 
some  of  whom  belong  to  the  native  population. 
The  Mohammedan  always  tries  to  make  prose- 
lytes. Amongst  all  this  darkness  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  has  risen.  There  is  scarcely  one 
island  now  where  no  Christians  are  to  be  found 
among  the  natives.  The  largest  islands  where 
no  progress  has  been  made  by  the  gospel,  up  to 
the  present,  are  the  three  nearest  to  Java, — 
Madura,  Bali,  and  Lombok.  One  of  the  mis- 
sionary societies  soon  hopes  to  begin  the  work 
in  Madura.  As  to  Bali,  it  has  been  visited  by 
English  missionaries  in  the  beginning  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  and  Dutch  missionaries  have 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA    205 

been  living  and  working  there  for  fifteen  years, 
from  1866  till  1881.  One  of  them  was  murdered 
in  that  year  by  his  servant,  and  the  one  man 
who  had  been  baptized  (he  belonged  to  one  of 
the  higher  castes  called  Goestis)  was  concerned 
in  this  crime. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  movement  of  the 
Balinese  against  Europeans,  and  the  Dutch  gov- 
ernment would  not  allow  the  other  missionary  to 
stay  at  Bali.  The  work  has  not  been  resumed, 
since  the  Balinese  did  not  show  any  inclination 
to  become  Christians;  while  in  other  parts  of 
the  archipelago  they  intreat  that  missionaries 
may  be  sent,  and  the  societies  working  there 
cannot  sufficiently  supply  their  wants. 

We  must  now  turn  to  the  various  mission- 
fields,  and  had  better  begin  at  the  northwestern 
side  of  the  Dutch  settlements. 

Immediately  south  of  the  Philippines,  quite 
near  the  island  Mindanao,  are  two  groups  of 
islands,  called  the  Talaner  and  the  Sangi  Islands. 
They  belong  to  the  parts  where  the  Dutch  in- 
fluence was  already  exercised  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  South  again  of  these  islands  is  a  vast 
archipelago  consisting  of  islands  of  very  dif- 
ferent sizes.  The  name  of  Moluccos  (Moluccas) 
was  given  to  them  by  the  Portuguese,  who  went 
there  in  1512,  and  were  followed  first  by  the 
Spaniards,  and  in  1599  by  the  Dutch.  After 
many  years  of  strife,  the  latter  remianed  sole 
masters  in  this  part  of  India. 

The  Portuguese  had  sent  missionaries  to  their 
colonies,  who  converted  thousands  of  the  natives 


206  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion.  These  Chris- 
tians were  quite  as  willing  to  become  Protestants 
under  their  new  masters. 

The  government  of  the  East  Indies  was  in- 
trusted to  the  Dutch  East  India  Company. 
Trade  was  its  first  concern,  but  it  did  not  neglect 
missionary  work,  and  sent  out  a  great  number 
of  clergymen,  also  less  educated  men,  who  were 
charged  with  the  religious  teaching  of  Europeans 
as  well  as  natives.  Schools  were  built,  and 
natives  trained  to -teach  in  them. 

The  clergymen  resided  in  Amboina  and  Ter- 
nate,  and  from  there  they  made  voyages  to  the 
distant  groups  of  islands  in  the  south  and  south- 
east and  to  the  Sangi  Islands  in  the  north.  A 
great  many  people  were  baptized ;  they  had  been 
taught  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  Creed,  and  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Their  further  instruction  con- 
sisted in  learning  by  heart  the  catechism.  The 
Bible  was  also  translated,  but  only  into  the  Malay 
language,  which  was  introduced  everywhere  and 
taught  in  the  schools.  The  number  of  schools 
amounted  (in  1627)  in  the  government  (or  dis- 
tricts) of  Amboina  to  thirty-six.  During  a 
period  of  not  quite  two  hundred  years,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-nine  clergymen  were  sent  to 
Amboina  alone,  and  many  more  to  the  other 
parts  of  India. 

The  voyages  they  had  to  make  were  not  with- 
out danger,  for  they  often  had  to  use  native 
canoes,  and,  especially  near  Sangi  and  Talaut, 
the  sea  is  often  very  rough.  Generally  they  met 
with  a  hearty  welcome  from  the  natives.    At  the 


NSW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA    207 

end  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  number  of 
Christians  on  the  Sangi  Islands  exceeded  twenty 
thousand.  The  number  of  churches  was  twenty- 
eight,  of  native  schoolmasters  thirty-four,  and  of 
pupils  ten  hundred  and  fifty-seven. 

The  second  part  of  the  next  century  was  a 
period  of  decline,  ending  with  the  fall  of  the 
East  India  Company.  Fewer  clergymen,  and 
finally  none,  were  sent  out,  and  the  islands  were 
not  visited  until  the  first  missionaries  arrived. 
They  were  sent  out  in  1813  by  the  Nederlandsch 
Zendeling  Genootschap,  started  in  1797.  One 
of  the  missionaries,  Kam,  went  to  Amboina  and 
visited  all  the  surrounding  islands.  In  the  six- 
teenth century  the  Jesuit  missionary,  Franciscus 
Xaverius,  was  called  the  "  Apostle  of  the  Moluc- 
cos."  In  the  nineteenth  century  the  same  name 
(or  title)  was  given  to  Kam. 

But  the  Missionary  Society  could  not  supply 
the  needs  of  so  many  islands.  The  Sangi  and 
Talauer  Islands,  for  instance,  were  mentioned  as 
wanting  missionaries,  but  none  were  ready  to  be 
sent  out  to  them. 

In  1850  a  Dutch  clergyman,  0.  G.  Heldring, 
paid  a  visit  to  Mr.  Goszner  in  Berlin,  who  had  a 
training  institute  for  missionaries  and  sent  them 
out  on  conditions  differing  from  those  of  other 
societies.  These  men  were  to  provide  for  them- 
selves if  possible.  If  they  could  not  do  so 
entirely  they  received  a  small  salary.  In  this 
way  several  men  were  sent  to  Sangi,  and  they 
proved  to  be  splendid  workers.  They  made 
plantations  of  cocoanut  trees,  also  of  nutmeg 


208  CHBISTUS  BEBEMPTOE 

and  clove  trees,  and  taught  the  inhabitants  to 
do  the  same.  The  most  prominent  among  them 
were  Steller,  Schroeder,  and  Kelling.  They 
found  those  islands  in  a  most  sf orlorn  state ;  a 
third  part  of  the  population  were  Christians  in 
name  but  heathen  in  reality.  Now  the  Chris- 
tians are  not  only  increasing  in  number,  but  are 
also  making  progress  in  Christian  life.  The  sons 
and  daughters  of  these  first  missionaries  are 
working  there  now.  Those  who  were  sent  to  the 
Talauer  Islands  did  not  succeed  so  well;  only 
very  solid  men  can  be  left  to  themselves  as  these 
men  were.  The  system  has  been  altered  now, 
and  the  gospel  preachers  are  under  the  control  of 
a  committee. 

The  government  undertook  to  bear  the  ex- 
penses of  the  religious  instruction  of  the  native 
Christians  in  those  countries  where  the  gospel 
was  first  preached  by  order  of  the  East  India 
Company,  also  in  countries  that  are  quite  Chris- 
tianized and  where  no  missionary  work  is  wanted 
any  longer.  So  Mr.  Kam  and  other  missionaries 
went  over  in  the  service  of  the  government,  and 
in  1870  government  preachers  (hulppredikers) 
were  sent  out.  Their  number  is  now  twenty- 
four;  one  of  them  is  in  Java,  all  the  others  are 
in  the  Moluccos  or  in  the  Minahasa,  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  island  of  Celebes.  More- 
over, three  native  preachers  have  the  care  of  the 
Christian  Ambonese  soldiers  in  Java  and  Su- 
matra. In  the  Sangi  and  Talauer  Islands  are 
no  government  preachers,  but  the  committee  is 
allowed  a  large  government  subsidy. 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA    209 

The  number  of  baptized  Christians  under  the 
control  of  the  "  hulppredikers  "  is  260,663,  of  the 
native  preachers  197. 

In  the  Sangi  and  Talauer  Islands  the  number 
of  European  preachers  should  be  nine,  but 
at  present  that  number  is  incomplete.  The 
number  of  Christians  is  48,000,  that  of  the 
schools  78. 

We  must  now  pass  on  to  the  large  island  of 
Celebes  (area  76,260  sq.  mi.) .  We  have  already 
seen  that  a  small  peninsula  in  the  northeast  is 
quite  Christianized.  Eighty  years  ago  these 
people  still  had  the  custom  of  scalping.  In  the 
middle  of  the  island,  where  the  people  are  still 
heathen,  this  custom  still  prevails.  Two  mis- 
sionaries are  working  there,  assisted  by  a  dele- 
gate of  the  Bible  Society  for  grammatical  work. 
This  mission  has  only  existed  for  twelve  years, 
but  seems  to  give  hope  for  the  future.  Un- 
fortunately this  cannot  be  said  of  the  south  of 
Celebes,  where  a  fanatical  Mohammedan  and 
very  independent  people  are  living.  The  mis- 
sionaries there  have  as  yet  not  made  much 
progress. 

West  of  Celebes  is  the  still  larger  island  of  Bor- 
neo of  which  part  belongs  to  England,  but  the 
greater  part  to  the  Netherlands.  In  the  south, 
German  missionaries  of  the  Barmen  Society  are 
working;  they  meet  with  many  difficulties,  but 
eighteen  hundred  Christians  are  to  be  found 
there. 

A  smaller  island,  east  of  Celebes,  called  Hal- 
maheira,  is  a  remarkable  missionary  field.     For 


210  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

about  thirty  years  two  missionaries  had  worked 
there,  and  only  a  small  community  was  formed, 
when  suddenly  (not  ten  years  ago)  almost  the 
whole  population  asked  for  baptism.  Their 
wish  was  granted  gradually,  after  they  had 
built  schools  and  new  villages  on  the  coast,  for 
they  could  scarcely  be  reached  in  the  woods. 
Six  missionaries  are  working  there  now,  and  two 
more  are  ready  to  start.  The  number  of  Christian 
villages  is  about  forty. 

New  Guinea  does  not  give  so  much  satisfaction, 
but  three  missionaries  are  working  there,  and 
have  assembled  small  communities. 

The  missionary  of  Boeroe  has  quite  lately 
died.     He  had  care  of  almost  2000  Christians. 

We  can  now  turn  to  the  island  of  Java 
The  population  numbered,  in  1894,  more  than 
25,000,000,  and  is  rapidly  increasing.  As  six 
Protestant  churches  and  societies  are  working 
there,  it  is  not  easy  to  give  the  exact  number  of 
Christians  (Protestant).  They  would  amount  to 
more  than  14,000.  The  number  of  mission 
schools  is  77,  an  increase  of  six  since  last  year. 

It  is  most  remarkable  that  in  all  parts  of  Java, 
the  first  and  the  greatest  number  of  converts 
were  made  by  natives  {gurus),  who  had  heard 
something  of  the  gospel,  and  taught  their  rela- 
tions and  friends  a  mixture  of  Hindu,  Moham- 
medan, and  Christian  doctrines.  These  men  first 
heard  the  gospel  from  an  Eurasian  called 
Coolen,  whose  father  was  a  Russian  and  his 
mother  a  Javanese.  They  soon  made  a  great 
number  of  converts,  and  in  this  way  Christian 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA    211 

notions  have  been  spreading  for  sixty  years  in 
Java.  It  was  and  is  very  difficult  for  missiona- 
ries to  teach  such  Christians.  Their  number  is 
now  estimated  to  be  7000,  but  the  above-men- 
tioned number  of  14,000  Christians  does  not 
include  these. 

The  first  missionaries,  however,  who  arrived 
about  sixty  years  ago,  had  to  form  their  com- 
munities, for  the  greater  part,  from  such  half- 
Christians,  who  were  afterwards  better  taught. 

The  last  island  we  have  to  visit  is  Sumatra. 
The  population  is  a  mixed  one.  In  the  west 
live  the  Atchinese,  who  are  rather  fanatic 
Mohammedans.  Also  the  Malays  in  the  south 
and  southwest  are  Mohammedans,  and  the 
Battas  in  the  centre  and  northwest  were 
heathen,  and  lived  at  enmity  with  those 
Mohammedans.  Now  the  greater  part  have 
become  Christians.  The  number  of  Christians 
is  calculated  by  the  missionary  Nommensen, 
the  veteran  of  the  Barmen  missionaries  in  Suma- 
tra, to  be  100,000,  including  the  island  Mas. 

Only  forty  years  ago  that  society  began  its 
work,  and  before  Nommensen,  some  missionary 
workers,  like  those  who  went  to  Sangi,  lived 
there  for  some  years.  The  number  of  mis- 
sionary schools  in  Sumatra  is  287.  Two  other 
societies  are  also  working  among  the  tribes  of 
the  Battas. 

The  number  of  Protestant  native  Christians 
in  the  missionary  fields  in  the  Dutch  settle- 
ments is  given  as  about  135,500,  the  total 
number   as   401,746,  and   of   Roman   Catholic 


212  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

natives  as  about  27,000,  of  missionaries  and 
"hulppredikers"  as  200,  of  native  preachers, 
"penulungs,"  197,  of  mission  schools  as  715. 

It  is  rather  difficult  to  tell  how  much  money 
is  spent  every  year  for  the  mission  work.  The 
Barmen  Mission  spends  yearly,  for  the  work 
on  Sumatra  and  Borneo,  180,000  f.,  of  which 
only  9000  f.  is  given  from  Holland.  But 
besides  that,  for  the  work  of  the  Dutch  mis- 
sionaries about  300,000  f.  is  given.  Much 
more  than  this  would  be  needed  if  the  work 
were  done  as  it  should  be  done. 

The  colony  of  Suriname  in  South  America 
is  not  an  island.  Moravian  missionaries  are 
working  there.  On  the  island  of  Curacao  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  and 
the  Wesleyan  Methodists  are  working.  The 
number  of  their  converts  is  given  as  4770. 

In  the  last  fifty  or  forty  years  the  method  has 
been  altered.  Formerly,  in  the  time  of  the  East 
India  Company,  the  converts  were  made  mem- 
bers of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  and  in- 
structed according  to  the  catechism  of  that 
church.  Now  the  ideal  of  most  missionaries  is 
to  create  a  national  Malay-Polynesian  Church, 
but  they  know  that  the  realization  of  this  ideal 
must  be  still  far  distant. 

One  of  the  means  of  attaining  it  is  to  train 
native  preachers  and  teachers.  Seminaries  for 
them  exist  in  Sumatra,  Java,  Amboina,  Timor, 
the  Minahassa,  and  Sangi;  they  number  eleven 
in  all. 

Another  ideal  is  to  make  the  communities 


NEW  ZEALAND,  NEW  GUINEA,  MALAYSIA   213 

self-supporting.  To  attain  that  ideal,  people 
are  encouraged  to  make  plantations  on  behalf  of 
the  church. 

There  is  also  a  medical  mission.  Three  large 
hospitals,  directed  by  medical  men,  amongst 
whom  is  a  woman  doctor  also,  have  been  built, 
and  a  great  many  smaller  ones.  Missionaries  liv- 
ing in  out-of-the-way  places  help  the  sick,  who 
generally  come  in  large  numbers.  Sometimes 
they  are  assisted  by  trained  nurses. 


214  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS 

Make  a  map  of  New  Guinea;  of  New  Zealand. 

Maori  myths  and  folk-lore  would  make  a  most  in- 
teresting topic. 

Compare  the  settlement  of  New  Zealand  with 
our  own  great  West  so  far  as  treatment  of  aboriginal 
inhabitants  is  concerned;  with  South  Africa. 

What  factors  tend  to  make  pioneer  colonists  un- 
just to  native  races? 

Compare  the  Maoris  and  the  North  American 
Indians  as  to  numbers,  intelligence,  physical  stamina, 
endowment. 

How  does  the  policy  of  the  New  Zealand  govern- 
ment toward  the  Maoris  compare  with  our  own  Indian 
policy  ? 

Write  an  account  of  a  voyage  of  exploration 
around  New  Guinea. 

Write  a  diary  of  a  native  missionary  from  Rara- 
tonga  to  New  Guinea. 

Who  are  the  Papuans?    Characteristics? 

What  common  elements  of  greatness  had  Living- 
stone, McKay,  and  Chalmers?  Are  these  qualities 
Scotch  ?    If  so,  what  makes  the  Scotch  have  them  ? 

Arrange  a  yachting  cruise  with  Paton,  Calvert, 
Marsden,  Gulick,  Turner,  Patteson,  and  Chalmers  on 
board.     Let  them  tell  stories. 

Arrange  a  meeting  of  missionaries'  wives  to  ex- 
change confidences  on  mission  work  from  the  home 
point  of  view. 

Arrange  a  special  topic  on  the  untouched  fields 
in  the  Pacific,  i.e.  those  not  included  in  this  present 
study. 

What  are  the  fields  unreached  —  extent,  popu- 
lation, conditions? 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    PHILIPPINES 

Location,  Area,  and  Population.  —  The  group 
comprising  the  great  number  of  islands  called 
the  Philippines  is  situated  in  the  Pacific,  5500 
miles  west  of  Hawaii  and  500  miles  off  the  coast 
of  China.  The  latitude  is  that  of  southern  India, 
Venezuela,  and  Costa  Rica.  The  longitude  is 
such  that  when  it  is  noon  at  Washington,  it  is 
ten  o'clock  the  next  day  at  Manila.  The  islands 
are  even  more  numerous  than  had  been 
supposed.  The  survey  taken  for  the  United 
States  census  of  1903  shows  about  three  thou- 
sand islands  in  all,  more  than  a  thousand  of 
which  are  named.  Out  of  this  greater  "thou- 
sand islands,"  however,  only  eleven  are  of  pres- 
ent importance  from  their  size  or  development. 
The  largest  islands  are  Luzon,  the  most  northern, 
with  an  area  about  equalling  that  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Mindanao,  the  farthest  south  of  the 
group  of  large  islands,  equal  in  size  to  Louisiana. 
Between  them  are  Mindora,  Panay,  Negros,  Cebu, 
Samar,  Leyte,  Masabate,  and  Bohol,  while  Para- 
gua  or  Palawan  stretches  its  narrow  length  to  the 
west,  bounding  the  Sulu  or  Mindora  Sea. 

In  addition  to  these  eleven  large  islands  there 
should  be  noted  the  chain  of  smaller  islands 

215 


216  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

stretching  between  Mindanao  and  North  Borneo, 
known  as  the  Sulu  or  Jolo  Archipelago. 

The  combined  areas  of  the  Philippines  is 
one  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  square  miles. 
Perhaps  a  clearer  idea  will  be  given  if  we  say  that 
this  is  about  equal  to  all  of  New  England  and 
New  York,  or  to  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  two-thirds 
of  Ohio.  To  use  European  units  of  comparison, 
the  Philippines  are  nearly  equal  in  area  to  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  and  exceed  the  area  of  Italy. 
Japan  has  twenty-eight  thousand  square  miles 
more  in  her  territory.  The  population  of  the 
islands,  according  to  the  United  States  census,  is 
7,635,426.  It  is  probable  that  the  islands  are 
capable  of  sustaining  a  population  of  twenty 
millions  or  more. 

Physical  Features.  —  The  physical  character- 
istics of  the  islands  have  many  things  in  com- 
mon with  the  other  islands  of  the  Pacific.  They 
are  mountainous,  densely  wooded,  volcanic  in 
origin,  with  a  wealth  of  verdure,  fruitage,  and 
color  belonging  essentially  to  the  tropics.  The 
interior  of  most  of  the  larger  islands  is  moun- 
tainous, some  of  the  peaks  rising  to  a  height  of 
more  than  ten  thousand  feet.  Among  the  Philip- 
pine mountains  fifty  are  recognized  as  volcanos, 
twenty  of  them  active.  The  most  beautiful  of 
these  volcanic  mountains  is  Mayon  in  southern 
Luzon.  Seen  from  whatever  quarter,  it  presents 
a  symmetrically  perfect  cone  with  clouds  of  smoke 
and  vapor  curling  about  its  summit.  Slight 
earthquake  shocks  are  frequent  throughout  the 
islands,  and  many  destructive   eruptions  have 


THE  PHILIPPINES  217 

taken  place  in  the  past.  Rivers  are  numerous, 
and  some  of  them  are  of  good  size.  Luzon  has 
four  large  rivers;  twenty-six  rivers  rise  in  the 
mountains  of  Samar,  while  the  largest  river  in 
the  archipelago  is  the  Rio  Grande  of  Mindanao. 
A  network  of  little  streams  makes  the  islands  well 
watered. 

Resources.  —  The  resources  of  this  island 
empire  are  very  great,  and  yet  for  the  most  part 
undeveloped.  The  soil  is  exceedingly  rich, 
producing  heavy  crops  of  rice,  tobacco,  hemp, 
and  sugar  cane.  Many  regions  at  present  un- 
productive are  so  placed  that  they  can  be 
irrigated  at  a  comparatively  low  cost,  thus  be- 
coming very  valuable.  The  mineral  resources 
are  great  and  almost  wholly  undeveloped.  Coal, 
oil,  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  sulphur,  marble, 
and  iron  are  found  in  many  localities.  In  the 
last  century  iron  mines  were  worked  with  great 
success  in  Morong,  but  were  finally  closed  by 
the  government  on  the  ground  that  the  Chinese 
workmen  were  not  Christians.  The  poor  owner 
was  obliged  to  send  all  his  workmen  to  China  at 
his  own  expense,  and  the  iron  industry,  for  some 
reason,  seemed  to  languish.  If  only  a  little  of 
what  eager  explorers  report  of  the  undeveloped 
resources  of  the  islands  is  true,  there  is  a  wonder- 
ful future  in  store  for  them. 

Climate.  —  The  climate  of  the  Philippines  is 
of  many  varieties,  all  more  or  less  trying  to  the 
unacclimated  American.  At  the  sea  level  the 
temperature  rarely  falls  below  60°  or  rises 
above  90°  (Fahrenheit).    These  figures,  however, 


218  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

do  not  tell  the  story,  for  it  is  the  oppressive 
humidity  that  makes  the  heat  so  prostrating  to 
Western  people.  From  April  to  July  the  moist, 
steamy  heat  is  almost  unendurable.  From 
November  to  April  many  find  the  climate  de- 
lightful. With  the  development  of  the  islands 
there  will  doubtless  be  built  summer  resorts 
among  the  mountains,  which  will  serve  as  sani- 
taria to  the  European  population.  With  the  op- 
portunity for  .occasional  recuperation  in  these 
higher  and  more  bracing  levels,  there  seems  to 
be  no  reason  why  Europeans  in  the  Philippines 
may  not  live  in  comparatively  good  health  for 
long  periods  of  time. 

Population ;  Origin.  —  In  the  flood  of  books 
that  have  been  poured  forth  regarding  the  Phil- 
ippines in  the  years  since  the  Spanish- American 
War,  there  is  much  that  is  confusing  in  regard 
to  the  people  of  the  Philippines.  According  to 
some  authorities,  there  is  no  Filipino  race,  but  a 
conglomerate  of  brown,  black,  red,  yellow,  and 
white  races.  German  and  Austrian  ethnologists 
fashioned  great  reputations,  and  are  still  solemnly 
quoted  as  authorities  on  the  Filipino  races,  who 
never  visited  the  islands,  but  built  up  their 
intricate  theories  solely  from  the  arm-chair  view- 
point. The  careful  studies  on  the  spot  made 
by  ethnologists  in  the  employ  of  the  United 
States  government  for  the  census  of  1903  are 
the  first  really  scientific  and  practical  reports 
that  we  have.  From  their  investigations,  though 
much  yet  remains  to  be  determined,  certain 
broad  facts  are  becoming  plain.     (1)  The  ar- 


THE  PHILIPPINES  219 

tificial  barriers  and  distinctions  that  resulted  in 
a  classification  representing  hundreds  of  lan- 
guages and  many  separate  race-stocks  have  been 
broken  down.  (2)  The  essential  solidarity  of  the 
the  Filipino  tribes  has  been  established.  (3)  The 
Negrito  has  been  shown  to  be  probably  the  aborig- 
inal inhabitant.  It  means  a  great  deal  to  the  na- 
tional aspirations  of  the  civilized  Filipinos  that 
the  ethnological  survey  has  shown  the  sub- 
stantial solidarity  in  Malay  origin  of  all  of  the 
Christian  and  most  of  the  Pagan  and  non-Chris- 
tian tribes.  While  there  has  undoubtedly  been 
race  admixture  (as  where  has  there  not  been), 
yet  the  infusion  from  the  yellow,  black,  red,  or 
white  races  has  been  absorbed  into  the  parent 
stock  leaving  it  still  homogeneous.  These  Fili- 
pinos belong  both  racially  and  geographically  to 
the  great  Malay  Archipelago,  and  are  bound  to 
the  Malayan  Empire,  insular  and  peninsular,  by 
ties  of  soil,  climate,  race,  language,  and  commerce. 
Whatever  is  done  for  the  Philippines  will  in- 
evitably affect  the  destinies  of  millions  who,  like 
the  Filipinos,  are  Malayan  in  blood  and  speech. 

Divisions  of  Population. — For  our  present  pur- 
pose we  may  make  three  divisions  of  the  native 
population:  the  Negrito  or  .52ta,  the  Chris- 
tian Filipino,  and  the  non-Christian  Filipino. 
The  Negritos  or  Mtas  are  probably  the  aboriginal 
inhabitants  of  the  island  driven  back  to  the 
mountains  of  the  interior  by  the  invading  Malays. 
They  are  diminutive  black  folk,  with  frizzly 
hair,  flat  noses,  and  round  heads.  These  timid 
savages  build  no  houses,  but  scurry  away  like 


220  CHBISTUS  BED  EMPTOR 

rabbits  from  their  sleeping  places  at  the  foot  of 
the  forest  trees  if  approached  by  a  strange 
human  being.  These  little  black  people  are 
found  in  the  thick  forests  of  Luzon  and  in  many 
of  the  other  islands.  They  resist  civilization 
and  are  said  to  be  a  slowly  fading  race.  Their 
numbers  have  been  variously  estimated  from 
ten  to  thirty  thousand. 

The  non-Christian  Malay  stock  may  again  be 
divided  into  two  parts:  the  Igorrotes  and  the 
Moros.  The  term  "Igorrotes"  is  now  used  to 
designate  some  dozen  tribes  of  wild  folk  belong- 
ing to  the  great  Malay  portion  of  the  population. 
These  wild  savage  tribes  belong  for  the  most 
part  to  the  mountains ;  the  Igorrotes  or  typical 
tribes  being  of  the  mountains  of  Luzon.  It  is 
possible  that  these  fine  savage  peoples  may  rep- 
resent an  earlier  migration  of  more  primitive 
Malay  stock  than  do  the  Christian  Filipinos. 
Some  think,  too,  that  there  are  traces  of  Chinese 
intermarriage  from  the  refugees  driven  to  the 
mountains  during  the  early  Spanish  occupation. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  these  fierce  head-hunting 
Igorrotes  are  fine  raw  material  out  of  which  to 
build  a  people.  They  are  strong,  active,  ener- 
getic, and  fearless.  Three  Spanish  governor- 
generals  tried  in  vain  to  subdue  them.  The 
Igorrote  does  not  trouble  the  other  races  except 
when  they  mix  with  his  tribal  race  feuds.  These 
are  so  bitter  that  there  is  no  union  between  Igor- 
rote  villages,  and  it  is  at  the  peril  of  losing  his  head 
that  one  of  the  inhabitants  ventures  five  miles 
away  from  home.  The  Igorrotes  are  trustworthy 


THE  PHILIPPINES  221 

to  a  remarkable  degree.  An  American  officer  of 
police  said  that  he  could  hand  over  five  thousand 
dollars  in  silver  to  a  half-dozen  Igorrote  carriers 
for  a  three  days'  march  in  the  mountains,  in  per- 
fect confidence  of  the  safe  delivery  of  their 
charge.  Dr.  Barrows  says,  "The  Igorrote  is  the 
only  scientific  agriculturist  that  we  have  found 
in  the  Philippines."  The  little  patches  of  poor 
soil  that  he  has  painfully  terraced  on  the  moun- 
tain side,  he  laboriously  irrigates  by  ditches  of 
his  own  devising.  Two  or  three  crops  a  year  he 
wrings  from  the  pitiful  little  mountain  fields,  and 
carries  them  steeply  up  and  down  the  mountain  to 
the  native  huts. 

The  Moros  are  Mohammedan  Malays  that  were 
rapidly  pushing  their  conquest  of  the  archipelago 
when  the  Spaniards  conquered  the  islands. 
Their  advance  was  checked  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  the  Moros  driven  off  the  northern  islands 
and  confined  for  the  most  part  to  the  Sulu 
archipelago  and  the  island  of  Mindanao.  It  is 
supposed  that  these  Moslem  Malays  began  to 
immigrate  to  the  Philippines  from  Borneo  in 
the  fourteenth  century.  The  Moros  to-day  are 
divided  into  six  or  eight  tribes  holding  with  the 
utmost  fanaticism  to  a  degraded  form  of  Mos- 
lem faith.  They  write  and  print  their  books  in 
Arabic,  but  speak  a  strange  jargon  of  Malay  and 
Arabic.  They  are  men  of  blood,  sea  rovers, 
and  pirates.   Like  Kipling's  "  Fuzzy  Wuzzy  " — 

"  'E's  all  'ot  sand  and  ginger  when  alive, 
And  'e's  generally  shammin'  when  'e's  dead." 


222  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

When  a  Moro  wishes  to  go  straight  to  heaven, 
and  be  canonized  among  his  friends  besides,  he 
goes  before  the  priest,  takes  a  solemn  vow  to 
die  killing  unbelievers,  shaves  his  eyebrows, 
bathes  in  sacred  water,  and  with  his  murderous 
barong  secreted  about  his  person  sets  forth. 
Then  woe  to  the  Christian,  man,  woman,  or 
child  who  crosses  his  fanatical  path.  He 
strikes  down  all  he  can  reach  until  he  himself 
is  struck  down.  It  is  glory  to  die  killing  all  that 
he  can.  One  of  these  fanatics  killed  twenty-three 
men,  women,  and  children  in  Mindanao  during 
1903  before  he  could  be  stopped  by  mortal 
wounds  or  death.  His  relatives  regard  his 
memory  with  veneration. 

Upon  these  fierce  bigots  the  light  of  day  is 
bound  to  shine.  Their  isolation  was  the  only 
possible  condition  for  their  fanaticism,  and  their 
isolation  is  doomed.  When  they  met  the  Ameri- 
can troops  in  1902-1903,  they  received  the  severest 
shock  that  their  haughty  spirits  had  ever  known. 
Their  big  heroes  and  famous  warriors  were  swept 
down  in  ignominious  defeat.  General  Wood  has 
broken  their  military  strength,  and  they  are 
likely  to  settle  down  into  tolerably  decent  citi- 
zens, when  once  the  reign  of  violence  so  long 
dominant  is  destroyed,  and  the  old  leaders  per- 
manently retired.  With  the  passing  of  slavery, 
the  beginning  of  education,  and  of  free  inter- 
course under  just  laws,  these  fierce  fanatics  may 
be  made  into  valuable  people. 

Conditions  among  the  Moros. — It  was  thought, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  American  administration 


THE  PHILIPPINES  223 

in  the  Philippines,  that  the  Moro  problem  would 
be  the  most  difficult  of  solution.  On  the  con- 
trary, some  of  the  most  encouraging  results  of 
the  American  policy  are  to  be  found  in  the  Moro 
country.  Captain  Finley  and  Major  Bullard  are 
representative  of  the  quiet,  resourceful,  and 
patient  type  of  man  who  is  making  new  con- 
ditions among  the  Moros.  Two  examples  may 
be  given  of  the  educational  work  done  by  the 
government,  —  the  Moro  exchange  established  by 
Captain  Finley,  and  the  road  building  of  Major 
Bullard.  When  Captain  Finley  was  first  made 
governor  of  a  district,  he  found  it  split  into  many 
warring  and  distrustful  fragments  by  the  jealous- 
ies and  blood  feuds  of  the  various  dattos  or  chiefs. 
At  his  peril  was  a  man  found  outside  his  own  vil- 
lage after  dark.  No  means  save  predatory  plun- 
der were  known  or  practised  to  get  a  living.  He 
first  subdued  open  rebellion,  then  gained  the  con- 
fidence and  friendship  of  the  chiefs,  often  by  taking 
personal  risks  that  were  appalling.  He  called  a 
council  of  the  fierce  dattos  to  wipe  out  the  blood 
feuds  that  had  existed  between  many  of  them  for 
generations.  These  old  wrongs  were  talked  over 
in  his  presence,  and  a  balance  agreed  upon  on  the 
most  approved  clearing-house  method.  When 
the  way  was  thus  cleared  so  that  these  warlike 
persons  might  meet  without  feeling  in  honor 
bound  to  cut  each  other's  throats,  he  suggested 
his  great  idea,  —  a  produce  exchange  or  market. 
The  plan  was  explained  to  them :  a  fund  amount- 
ing to  $350  was  subscribed  by  the  chiefs,  and 
an  open  building  lined  with  booths  erected.    To 


224  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

this  each  was  to  bring  his  produce,  his  fish, 
brass-work,  food  or  cloth,  and  here  sell  it.  This 
method,  to  us  so  familiar,  was  to  these  wild  men 
accustomed  to  rely  on  plunder  for  daily  bread,  a 
revelation.  A  board  of  control  was  organized, 
with  the  president  and  treasurer  Americans,  the 
rest  Moros.  The  exchange  has  been  in  opera- 
tion more  than  a  year.  Every  stall  has  its  busy 
traders.  The  native  shrewdness  has  been  turned 
from  plunder  to  legitimate  trade.  Primitive  in- 
dustries have  been  stimulated,  wealth  has  in- 
creased, plunder  is  rapidly  becoming  obsolete. 
They  have  learned  that  money  has  the  power  to 
supply  needs,  and  that  money  may  be  had  in 
exchange  for  work.  A  native  superintendent 
operates  the  exchange.  No  barter  or  credit  is 
allowed.  The  business  the  first  year  amounted 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  thousand  dol- 
lars ($128,000).  Branch  exchanges  to  the  num- 
ber of  fourteen  have  been  established,  and 
piracy  has  lost  its  charm. 

The  road  building  of  Major  Bullard  had  been 
no  less  effective  as  a  civilizing  agency.  A  road 
was  to  be  opened  by  United  States  troops  through 
one  of  the  most  lawless  provinces  of  Mindanao. 
At  first  the  Moros  looked  on  sullenly  as  the 
soldiers  toiled  at  making  a  mountain  road 
through  tropical  forests.  Governor  Bullard 
spent  much  time,  he  said,  "  patiently  squatting 
or  sitting  about  the  camp,  sometimes  talking, 
often  in  silence  all  day  to  the  very  night,  so  long 
as  they  would  stay,  to  allow  them  to  look  and 
learn,  to  observe  us  for  themselves,  and  satisfy 


THE  PHILIPPINES  225 

their  curiosity:  then  as  they  went  away,  I  in- 
vited them  to  come  to-morrow."  These  friendly 
conferences  ended  with  an  offer  to  hire  and  pay 
Moros  for  working  on  the  road.  A  friendly  old 
datto,  with  a  handful  of  ugly-looking  followers, 
was  the  first  to  try  the  experiment.  The  pleasure 
of  these  men  when  they  received  the  first  day's 
pay  in  their  own  hands  was  like  that  of  children. 
More  came  the  next  day,  stuck  all  over  with 
daggers.  The  number  grew,  lured  by  sure  pay 
and  regular  food.  "Men  who  for  years  had  been 
attacking  each  other  on  sight  and  dared  not  now, 
as  they  loved  their  lives,  meet  on  market  or  trail, 
wiped  the  score  from  memory  to  come  and  earn 
money  together  on  the  American  road."  "Men 
to  whom  it  had  been  discredit  to  be  found  without 
arms  gradually  came  to  lay  them  aside  for  a 
short  time,  at  least  while  they  labored."  As  soon 
as  it  was  possible  the  governor  learned  to  do 
without  an  interpreter,  and  to  speak  to  the  people 
in  their  own  tongue.  Little  by  little  he  prepared 
the  way  for  settled  government.  When  the  road 
was  built,  the  Moros  were  induced  to  become 
carriers  of  supplies  from  the  sea-coast.  The 
whole  stoiy  is  told  most  delightfully  in  the 
Atlantic  of  March,  1906. 

It  will  probably  be  long  before  direct  mis- 
sionary work  can  be  undertaken  among  the 
Moros.  Like  John  the  Baptist,  the  American 
government  is  making  in  the  desert  a  highway 
for  God.  Intercourse  with  the  outside  world 
will  soften  their  fanatical  hatred;  education  will 
dispel  the  ignorance  that  leaves  them  in  arrogant 

Q 


226  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

content  in  their  own  savagery:  and  set- 
tled laws  and  industries  will  undermine  their 
fierce  life  of  plunder  and  rapine.  The  govern- 
ment is  already  expending  one-fourth  of  all  the 
revenues  for  education,  and  is  to  increase  the 
appropriation.  Meanwhile  there  is  plenty  of 
opportunity  for  individuals  and  churches  to 
assist  by  the  establishing  of  industrial  and  normal 
schools  and  hospitals.  The  medical  missionary  will 
probably  be  the  pioneer  agency  for  making  known 
the  gospel  to  these  poor  people.  The  need  of 
his  services  is  very  great,  and  the  reverence  of  the 
people  for  the  healer  of  bodily  ills  is  deep-seated. 
The  Christian;  Filipinos.  —  The  third  division 
of  the  population,  the  Christian  Filipinos,  con- 
stitutes nine-tenths  of  the  native  population,  ex- 
clusive of  the  Moros.  Among  them  are  eight 
clearly  marked  subdivisions,  each  differing  in 
language  and  customs  as  do  Portuguese,  Spaniards, 
and  Italians,  for  example.  In  Luzon  we  find 
six  of  these  tribal  divisions.  In  the  north  on 
each  side  of  the  Cordillera  (mountain  range)  are 
two  tribes :  the  Ibanaz  to  the  east  and  the  Ilokans 
to  the  west.  In  central  Luzon  there  are  four, 
the  Sambal,  Pangasimans,  Pampangons,  and 
Tagalogs.  In  southern  Luzon  there  are  the 
Bikol.  The  central  islands  are  represented  by 
the  Visayans  or  Bisayans.  Of  these  eight  divi- 
sions the  Tagalogs  and  Visayans  are  numerically 
most  important,  the  Visayans  numbering  one- 
half  of  the  Christian  population  and  the  Taga- 
logs one-fifth.  These  last  are  the  most  enter- 
prising,   restless,    and   progressive  race  in  the 


THE  PHILIPPINES  227 

islands.  They  made  the  backbone  of  the  insur- 
rection, and  have  furnished  most  of  the  literary 
and  governmental  ability  in  the  past.  They  are 
traders  and  travellers,  send  their  children  to 
Europe  for  education,  and  represent  the  culture 
of  the  islands.  The  Ilokans  come  next  to  the 
Tagalogs  in  vigor  and  migratory  tendencies. 
The  American  officers  who  have  been  thrown 
into  contact  with  these  people  speak  high  praise 
of  their  trustworthiness,  industry,  and  general 
enterprise.  The  Visayans  of  the  central  islands 
are  essentially  a  peasant  people,  quiet,  peace- 
loving,  contented,  and  as  yet  largely  undeveloped. 

Foreign  Population.  —  The  foreign  population 
of  the  islands  is  large,  representing  many  races 
and  nationalities:  the  Portuguese,  the  Spanish, 
the  Chinese,  Japanese,  Koreans,  Siamese,  and 
Polynesians.  The  two  races  that  have  been 
present  in  largest  numbers,-  and  have  most 
deeply  influenced  the  course  of  Philippine  his- 
tory are  the  Spaniards  and  the  Chinese.  Both  of 
these  have  intermarried  with  the  Filipinos, 
giving  rise  to  an  influential  half-blood  or  mestizo 
population.  The  Spanish  Mestizos,  indeed,  be- 
came the  aristocrats  of  the  islands.  The  Chinese 
infusion  is  also  considerable,  and  the  mixture  of 
the  Chinese  and  Malay  races  is  said  to  produce 
a  sturdy  and  promising  factor  in  the  racial  ad- 
mixture that  is  in  process  in  the  Philippines. 

Social  Classes.  —  The  Spaniards  found  the 
islanders  living  under  the  primitive  and  dis- 
tinctly Malayan  organization  of  the  barrio  or 
small  village.     Each  barrio  was  controlled  by  a 


228  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

datto  or  headman,  and  possibly  all  the  barrios  in 
a  given  district  acknowledged  the  leadership  of 
a  great  datto  or  petty  king.  The  people  of  a 
barrio  were  usually  bound  by  family  as  well  as 
by  tribal  ties.  The  leaders  formed  a  hereditary 
caste;  below  them  were  the  working  peasantry, 
and  below  these  the  slaves  taken  in  the  almost 
incessant  guerilla  warfare.  The  Spaniards  added 
to  the  primitive  barrio  organization  the  town 
{pueblo)  and  the  great  plantation  {hacienda). 
Several  villages  {barrios)  were  united  for  ad- 
ministrative purposes  to  a  town  {pueblo)  and  the 
headman  of  the  village  made  accountable  to  the 
"presidente"  of  the  pueblo.  In  the  pueblo  was 
built  the  great  stone  church,  about  which  clus- 
tered the  convent  and  the  public  buildings.  It 
was  often  necessary  to  use  compulsion  to  force 
the  natives  to  live  in  the  pueblo  as  they  pre- 
ferred the  freer  barrio  life.  In  some  localities 
the  old  barrios  gave  way  to  a  great  sugar  planta- 
tion, where  the  planter  replaced  the  headman 
and  in  time  made  the  peasants  his  peons  or  serfs. 
These  three  institutions  have  put  their  impress 
on  three  distinct  types  of  Filipino  peasants  that 
may  be  recognized.  The  town-dwelling  peasant 
is  most  worthless.  Cock-fighting,  the  many 
holidays,  the  social  immoralities  of  the  cities, 
have  made  him  what  he  is,  superstitious,  lazy, 
and  vicious.  The  plantation  peasant  is  a  grade 
better.  He  is  no  more  ignorant  and  super- 
stitious than  his  town  brother,  and  has  an  in- 
dustry and  morality  very  much  superior  to  that 
found  in   the    cities.      He    is    still    absolutely 


THE  PHILIPPINES  229 

dependent  upon  the  owner  of  the  plantation,  whose 
power  over  all  the  peasants  on  his  hacienda  was 
absolute  until  American  occupation  began  to 
change  at  least  the  theory.  The  great  mass  of 
the  plantation  peasants  were  stolidly  untouched 
by  the  tide  of  revolutionary  change  of  1896-1898. 
The  barrio  peasant  is  the  real  hope  of  the 
country.  In  some  of  the  islands  half  the  peasan- 
try are  included  in  these  barrios  of  the  interior. 
These  men  are  independent  from  their  very 
poverty  and  obscurity.  One  of  the  difficulties 
in  the  Philippines  is  the  concentration  of  all 
power  in  the  hands  of  a  numerically  small  and 
practically  hereditary  class.  In  many  a  pueblo 
with  ten  thousand  people,  the  two  or  three 
stone  houses  of  the  principales  will  contain  the 
few  families  who  dominate  completely  the  com- 
munity life.  The  "cacique,"  or  local  great  man, 
is,  saysLe  Roy,  "a  combination  of  political  boss, 
schoolmaster  in  Goldsmith's  '  Deserted  Village/ 
the  old  Virginia  landlord,  and  the  leader  of  the 
local  four  hundred."  This  sort  of  a  social  or- 
ganization makes  it  possible  for  demagogues  to 
capture  thousands  by  gaining  over  a  few  leaders. 
It  is  difficult  to  realize  at  first  the  extent  of  this 
dependency  and  subserviency  of  the  Filipinos  to 
the  ruling  class.  The  statement  in  the  United 
States  census  to  the  effect  that  a  larger  per  cent- 
age  own  their  farms  in  the  Philippines  than  in 
the  United  States  is  entirely  misleading,  unless 
read  in  the  light  of  this  social  organization.  The 
peasant  "owners"  of  the  little  patch  of  soil  are 
in  reality  owned  by  the  great  man  who  controls 


230  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOE 

their  lives  to  the  least  detail.  The  showing  by 
the  census  that  nearly  half  of  the  parcels  of 
occupied  land  are  less  than  two  and  one-half 
acres  in  extent,  and  one-fifth  of  these  "farms" 
are  less  than  one-fortieth  of  an  acre,  sheds 
further  light  on  the  question. 

Social  Life.  —  As  soon  as  we  begin  to  study 
the  daily  life  of  the  Filipino  people  and  compare 
it  with  that  of  any  Malay  community  unreached 
by  civilization,  the  greatness  of  the  debt  of  the 
Filipinos  to  Spain  is  apparent.  To  the  ruling 
classes,  about  one-tenth  of  the  population,  was 
given  a  knowledge  of  Spanish,  education,  and 
the  refinements  of  European  civilization.  To 
all  the  people  was  given  a  Christian  tradition, 
that,  though  sadly  inadequate  and  superstitious, 
profoundly  modified  their  life. 

The  Filipino  family  life  is  perhaps  the  best 
single  fact  to  adduce  as  evidence.  The  position 
of  women  among  the  Filipinos  more  nearly 
approaches  that  in  European  countries  than  is 
the  case  with  any  other  Asiatic  race.  There  are 
many  beautiful  traits  in  the  Filipino  family 
life,  —  the  respect  shown  to  parents,  the  gracious 
courtesy,  the  generosity  extended  to  the  poorest 
family  connections,  the  ungrudging  hospitality. 
There  are  no  poorhouses  in  the  islands.  Every 
poor  person  is  some  one's  relative,  and  Filipino 
ethics  recognize  it  as  the  duty  of  prosperous 
relatives  to  help  those  of  their  own  kin  who  may 
have  failed  in  the  battle  of  life. 

Spain  did  accomplish  in  the  three  hundred 
years  of  her  domination  what  no  other  nation 


THE  PHILIPPINES  231 

has  ever  done  in  the  Orient.  She  substituted 
for  the  race  religion  and  viewpoint  the  Chris- 
tian religion  and  viewpoint.  The  depth  of  the 
change  in  the  very  structure  of  Malay  thought  and 
life  is  evidenced  by  the  revolution  that  marked 
the  last  century.  What  other  Malay  people  ever 
so  longed  for  liberty  in  faith  and  government 
as  to  pour  out  its  blood  like  water  to  gain  it? 

The  features  most  criticised  in  Filipino  life 
are  the  love  of  gambling  and  the  prevalence  of 
cock-fighting.  The  pastime  of  cock-fighting  is 
indeed  a  national  passion.  The  favorite  gallo 
(cock)  is  only  less  dear  than  wife  or  child  to 
the  average  Filipino.  The  Filipino  town  is 
usually  built  close  to  some  stream,  if  not  near 
to  the  sea,  and  the  daily  bath  is  the  custom  of 
young  and  old,  both  sexes  and  all  ages  bathing 
together.  Though  the  art  of  personal  cleanli- 
ness is  so  generally  practised,  the  sister  art  of 
domestic  and  sanitary  cleanliness  is  given  scant 
attention.  A  Filipino  woman  will  wash  her 
dishes  in  the  water  in  which  the  family  are 
bathing  in  tranquil  unconcern.  A  serene  un- 
consciousness of  smells  and  fitter  marks  Filipino 
housekeeping,  and  city  sanitation  is  anathema 
maranatha  to  most  housewives. 

Aristocratic  lines  run  deep  in  Filipino  society. 
The  very  small  per  cent  of  the  population  who 
can  speak  Spanish  send  their  children  abroad 
for  education,  copy  European  models  of  dress 
and  manners,  and  hold  themselves  very  much 
aloof  from  the  ordinary  life. 

Historical  Summary.  —  The  Philippines  were 


232  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

discovered  by  Magellan  in  1521.  The  first 
serious  attempt  to  colonize  and  Christianize  the 
islands  was  made  in  1564  by  an  expedition  sail- 
ing from  Mexico  under  command  of  Legaspi, 
a  man  of  ability  and  character.  When  he  died, 
in  1572,  the  work  he  came  to  do  was  really  as- 
sured of  accomplishment.  The  Friars  who  ac- 
companied the  expedition  were  the  first  teachers 
and  civilizers  of  the  islands.  The  Dutch  strove 
with  the  Spaniards  for  the  possession  of  the 
islands,  capturing  the  golden  galleons  laden  with 
treasure  from  Mexico  to  pay  Spanish  merchants 
and  officers  in  the  Philippines.  In  1767  a 
British  fleet  captured  Manila  and  pillaged  the 
city  horribly.  On  the  declaration  of  peace,  the 
city  was  given  back  to  Spain. 

The  influence  of  the  American  and  French 
Revolutions  was  felt  in  these  distant  islands  when 
representatives  of  the  Philippines  were  allowed 
a  seat  in  the  Spanish  Cortez,  from  1822  to  1837. 
From  this  time  liberal  views  spread  and  insurrec- 
tionary activity  increased  in  violence  and  fre- 
quency until  the  downfall  of  the  Spanish  power 
in  1898.  After  due  credit  has  been  given  to 
Spain  for  what  she  accomplished  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, —  the  giving  of  a  scientific  alphabet,  the 
reduction  to  writing  of  the  principal  dialects, 
the  beginnings  of  civilization,  and  the  implanta- 
tion of  Christianity,  —  the  marvel  remains  that 
she  did  not  do  far  more.  Undeveloped  resources, 
unknown  territory,  superficial  development,  mark 
the  history  of  her  stewardship  in  the  Philippines. 

The  Friars.  —  The  agency  selected  by  Spain 


THE  PHILIPPINES  233 

for  civilizing  and  Christianizing  the  islands  was 
that  of  the  Friars,  —  orders  of  monks  vowed  to 
celibacy,  poverty,  and  obedience.  To  the  Phil- 
ippines they  brought  the  religion  of  Christ  as 
they  understood  it,  and  spite  of  superstition  and 
errors  did  teach  the  fundamental  truth  of  a  pure, 
holy  God,  worthy  of  human  love  and  obedience. 
They  opened  schools  for  boys,  and  girls  also,  as 
early  as  1759.  Until  1863  all  education  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  Friars.  To  recognize  most 
cordially  the  value  of  the  Friars'  pioneer  work 
is  not  at  all  incompatible  with  regarding  them 
as  an  anachronism  in  1898.  While  the  rest  of 
the  world  was  progressing,  the  Spanish  friars 
of  the  Philippines  seem  to  have  remained  station- 
ary in  faith  and  practice.  The  distrust  of  science, 
fine-spun  metaphysics,  absolute  ideas  of  gov- 
ernment, intolerance  of  all  dissent,  and  selfish 
colonial  policy,  which  they  shared  with  most  of 
the  world  a  century  or  two  ago,  they  clung  to 
long  after  such  mental  furniture  had  been  con- 
signed to  the  rubbish  heap  by  the  rest  of  mankind. 
The  people  to  whom  they  ministered  outgrew 
them,  and  became  impatient  of  the  yoke,  now 
an  actual  hindrance  to  the  nation.  In  all  fair- 
mindedness,  and  with  no  spirit  of  hostility,  the 
causes  for  the  universal  hatred  with  which  the 
Friars  came  to  be  regarded  by  the  people  may  be 
summarized  as  follows:  — 

(1)  Their  land  policy,  by  which  they  secured 
for  their  orders  large  tracts  of  the  best  lands, 
all  of  which  yielded  good  income,  —  none  of  it 
paid  taxes. 


234  CHEISTUS  EEDEMPTOB 

(2)  Their  greed.  The  fees  for  funeral  and 
burial  rites  were  exorbitant,  and  Christian  burial 
was  refused  until  these  demands  were  met.  Mar- 
riage fees  were  so  high  that  multitudes  lived 
together  as  man  and  wife  without  any  marriage 
ceremony. 

(3)  Their  despotism  in  all  matters  civil  and 
religious.  In  Senate  Document  No.  190,  giving 
the  testimony  taken  before  the  Civil  Commission, 
there  is  abundance  of  proof  of  the  galling  na- 
ture of  this  inquisitorial  oppression.  The  revo- 
lutions against  Spain's  sovereignty  began  as 
movements  against  the  Friars. 

(4)  The  personal  immorality  of  the  friars 
who  served  as  parish  priests.  In  Senate  Docu- 
ment No.  190  is  testimony  given  by  prominent 
Filipino  business  men,  lawyers,  and  journalists 
and  they  all  tell  the  same  story.  There  is  no 
better-informed  or  more  unprejudiced  man  in 
the  Philippines  than  Bishop  Brent,  who  says :  — 

"No  one  but  a  blind  partisan  seriously  denies  any 
longer  the  grave  moral  laxity  that  has  grown  up  and 
still  lives  under  the  shadow  of  the  church  and  convento 
(parsonage)  in  the  Philippines.  Inch  by  inch  I  have 
been  forced  back  by  the  pressure  of  facts  from  the 
position  I  originally  held  that  there  was  a  minimum 
rather  than  a  maximum  of  immorality.  The  cumula- 
tive testimony  that  has  come  to  me  has  been  chiefly 
incidental  and  unsought,  containing  in  it  the  witness 
of  Roman  Catholics  in  good  standing.  When  the  new 
hierarchy  with  American  honesty  sets  to  work  seri- 
ously to  discern  the  whole  state  of  the  case,  I  can 
imagine  from  my  small  experience  that  they  will  have 
an  unsavory  and  anxious  task. 

"  It  is  considered  to  be  no  special  discredit  to  either 


THE  PHILIPPINES  235 

party  concerned  —  certainly  not  to  the  man  —  if  a 
temporary  contract  is  entered  upon  between  a  man  and 
a  woman,  to  be  terminated  when  expedient.  A  man 
may,  according  to  this  mal  costumbre,  have  even  more 
than  one  querida  without  transgressing  propriety, 
though  a  woman  must  abide  faithful,  as  long  as  the  con- 
tract is  in  effect,  to  the  one.  It  is  unfair  to  jump  at 
the  conclusion  that  such  a  lamentable  practice  has 
grown  up  because  the  country  has  been  under  Roman 
Catholic  rule.  The  question,  however,  may  be  justly 
asked  whether  Latin-Christianity  has  honestly  grappled . 
with  it.  The  answer  is  found  in  a  fact.  Many  —  I 
use  the  conservative  word  —  many  Filipino  priests 
have  a  personal  lot  and  share  in  the  costumbre  under 
discussion,  either  in  its  less  or  its  more  revolting  form. 
Their  grown-up  children  bear  witness  to  the  long 
continuance  of  the  custom.  I  know  one  old  priest 
who  lives  openly  with  his  wife  —  for  that  is  what  she 
really  is  —  and  family  in  the  town  where  he  has  served, 
if  mytmemory  is  accurate,  for  more  than  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  I  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  his  minis- 
trations are  not  acceptable  to  his  flock  —  and  yet  the 
common  folk  believe  that  a  lawfully  wedded  priest 
would,  ipso  facto,  be  incapacitated  for  the  priestly 
office !  How  much  of  this  enormity  was  indulged  in 
by  the  Friars  themselves  I  do  not  know.  But,  as  one 
of  them  whose  character  was  sans  reproche  said  to  an 
army  chaplain,  'Believe  that  there  were  some  good 
Friars.' 

"No  doubt  the  church  has,  in  the  past,  spasmodi- 
cally struggled  with  this  besetting  sin  of  the  Filipino. 
But  in  spite  of  everything,  by  degrees  its  filthy  stream 
trickled  into  the  sanctuary,  and  apathetic  quiescence 
in  a  seemingly  hopeless  situation  ensued.  A  council 
for  the  reorganization  of  the  church  so  far  as  possible 
along  American  lines  has  been  summoned  by  the 
archbishop,  and  an  effort  is  being  made  to  secure  the 
aid  of  the  American  priests,  thus  far  without  much 
success.     I  believe  that  the  American  archbishop  and 


236  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

bishops  in  the  Philippines,  nearly  all  of  whom  I  have 
met,  are  the  type  of  men  who  would  be  as  shocked  as 
you  or  I  at  what  they  see.  It  is,  beyond  peradventure, 
their  desire  to  mend  matters.  I  am  sure  they  will  try, 
but  their  hands  are  tied  by  the  ordinance  of  a  council 
of  1059  a.d.,  which  in  the  long  run  and  broadly  speak- 
ing has  been  a  failure.  What  the  Philippine  hierarchy 
should  be  free  to  do,  according  to  the  principles  of 
justice  and  honor,  is  to  relax  the  rule  of  a  celibate 
clergy  locally,  to  pronounce  the  church's  blessing  on 
every  priest  who  has  been  and  is  faithful  to  one  woman, 
and  to  excommunicate  con  amove  those  who  have 
various  queridas.  The  question  is  not  one  of  doctrine, 
but  of  common  morals,  which  strikes  at  the  root  of 
society,  and  in  which  every  citizen  is  concerned. 

"Again,  it  is  all  too  common  to  find  the  parish  priest 
an  accomplished  gamester.  The  stagnation  of  tropi- 
cal life,  the  absence  of  other  amusements  than  the 
baile  and  a  mild  game  of  ball  played  by  the  men, 
make  the  prevailing  excitement  a  powerful  temptation 
to  the  least  viciously  inclined." 

—  Bishop  C.  H.  Bkent,  in  Missionary  Review  of  the 
World,  January,  1906. 

(5)  Their  stifling  of  all  freedom  of  thought.  — 
Until  six  years  ago  it  was  banishment  or  death 
to  hold  any  opinions  unauthorized  by  the  Friars. 
The  yoke  of  mental  bondage  was  galling  to  in- 
telligent Filipinos  who  had  reeeived  the  benefits 
of  European  education.  The  case  of  Dr.  Jose 
Rizal  exemplifies  some  of  the  worst  results  of 
such  tyranny.  He  was  a  brilliant  pupil  in  the 
Jesuit  school  in  Manila.  He  completed  his 
education  in  Europe,  taking  degrees  in  medicine 
and  philosophy  at  Madrid,  graduate  work  in 
Paris  and  Germany.  He  became  convinced  of 
the  necessity  of  expulsion  of  the  Friars  if  there 


THE  PHILIPPINES  237 

was  to  be  progress  in  the  Philippines.  He  wrote 
several  novels  exposing  conditions  in  his  home 
country.  During  a  second  absence  of  his  in 
Europe  his  family  were  subjected  to  severe 
persecution  on  account  of  his  views.  On  his 
return  home  he  was  arrested,  forged  papers  were 
placed  in  his  baggage  to  implicate  him,  and  he  was 
banished  for  four  years  to  the  Island  of  Mindanao. 
Here,  while  practically  a  prisoner,  his  fame  as  an 
oculist  brought  him  many  patients  from  the 
entire  archipelago.  When  the  war  broke  out 
in  Cuba  he  offered  his  services,  and  was  per- 
mitted to  leave  the  islands,  but  again  thrown 
into  prison,  brought  back  to  Manila  on  trumped- 
up  charges,  convicted  of  sedition  and  rebellion, 
and  executed  for  daring  to  think.  So  late  as 
1896  this  crime  against  free  thought  was  com- 
mitted by  which  the  brightest  intellect  of  the 
Filipino  race  was  quenched.  To-day  the  por- 
trait of  Jose  Rizal  is  on  the  walls  of  thousands 
of  homes,  and  his  name  is  venerated  as  that  of 
a  martyr  in  the  cause  of  freedom.  His  dying 
words  were :  "  What  is  death  to  me?  I  have  sown 
the  seed,  others  are  left  to  reap." 


QUOTATION  FROM  RIZAL'S  "NOLI 
ME  TANGERE" 

"  Now  we  in  the  Philippines  are  travelling  along  at 
least  three  centuries  behind  the  car  of  progress,  and 
are  barely  commencing  to  emerge  from  the  Middle 
Ages.  Hence  the  Jesuits,  reactionary  in  Europe, 
when  seen  from  our  point  of  view,  represent  progress. 
The  Philippines  owe  to  them  their  dawning  system 


238  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

of  instruction,  and  to  them  the  natural  sciences,  the 
soul  of  the  nineteenth  century.  .  .  .  The  strife  is  on 
between  the  past  which  cleaves  and  clings  with  curses 
to  the  waning  feudal  castle,  and  the  future  whose  song 
of  triumph  may  be  faintly  heard  in  the  distant,  but 
splendid,  glories  of  a  dawn  that  is  coming,  bringing  the 
message  of  good  news  from  other  countries." 


Insurrection  of  1896.  —  For  years  the  Filipinos 
had  been  longing  to  throw  off  the  hated  yoke  of 
mediaeval  despotism.  In  1823,  1827,  1844,  and 
1872  there  were  insurrections  that  were  put 
down  with  savage  cruelty.  Men  were  flogged, 
tortured,  and  deported  by  hundreds.  In  1896 
a  widespread  revolt  occurred,  for  the  avowed 
purpose  of  securing  expulsion  of  the  Friars  and 
restitution  of  their  lands  to  the  people,  parlia- 
mentary representation,  freedom  of  the  press, 
religious  toleration,  and  abolition  of  despotic 
powers  of  government.  A  treaty  had  been  nego- 
tiated with  the  leaders  of  the  insurrection  by 
which  reforms  were  promised,  and  a  very  large 
money  payment  made  to  the  insurgent  leader, 
Aguinaldo,  for  ending  the  rebellion. 

The  American  Occupation.  —  War  between 
the  United  States  and  Spain  was  declared  in 
April,  1898.  On  May  1  the  entire  Spanish 
fleet  in  Manila  Bay  was  sunk  by  an  American 
fleet  in  command  of  Commodore  Dewey,  without 
the  loss  of  a  single  man  or  serious  injury  to  ope  of 
the  American  ships.  By  the  treaty  of  peace  the 
Philippines  were  ceded  by  Spain  to  the  United 
States.    Armed  resistance  in  the  Philippines  fol- 


THE  PHILIPPINES  239 

lowed,  and  was  not  put  down  until  American 
troops  had  overrun  the  whole  archipelago.  Pub- 
lic sentiment  in  the  United  States  was  divided  as 
to  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  the  holding  of  the 
islands  so  strangely  thrown  into  the  possession 
of  the  nation.  An  influential  minority  believed 
that  the  islands  ought  to  be  given  over  to  the 
control  of  their  own  inhabitants  as  an  indepen- 
dent nation.  The  majority  believed  that  no 
true  national  life  had  yet  been  developed  in  the 
Philippines,  that  the  people  would  be  the  prey 
of  evil  demagogues  and  given  over  to  a  reign  of 
violence  were  responsible  government  removed. 
In  the  official  utterances  of  President  McKinley 
and  President  Roosevelt,  assurance  was  given 
that  the  United  States  entered  the  Philippines  as 
trustee  for  civilization  to  develop  the  islands  in 
the  interests  of  the  inhabitants. 

"The  position  of  President  McKinley  in  regard  to  the 
Philippines  may  be  gathered  from  a  statement  which 
he  made  to  a  party  of  clergymen,  a  committee  from 
a  religious  gathering  in  Washington,  who  called  upon 
him  November  21, 1899.  After  their  interview,  as  they 
rose  to  go,  the  President  detained  them  for  a  moment 
to  say,  as  reported  in  the  Christian  Advocate:  — 

'"Before  you  go  I  should  like  to  say  just  a  word 
about  the  Philippine  business.  When  I  realized  that 
the  Philippines  had  dropped  into  our  lap,  I  confess 
that  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  them.  I  sought 
counsel  from  all  sides  —  Democrats  as  well  as  Republi- 
cans —  but  got  little  help.  I  thought  first  we  would 
take  only  Manila,  then  Luzon,  then  other  islands, 
perhaps,  also.  I  walked  the  floor  of  the  White  House 
night  after  night  until  midnight,  and  I  am  not 
ashamed  to  tell  you,  gentlemen,  that  I  went  down  on 


240  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 

my  knees  and  prayed  Almighty  God  for  light  and 
guidance  more  than  one  night. 

"'And  one  night,  late,  it  came  to  me  this  way —  I 
don't  know  how  it  was,  but  it  came :  (1)  that  we 
could  not  give  them  back  to  Spain  —  that  would  be 
cowardly  and  dishonorable;  (2)  that  we  could  not 
turn  them  over  to  France  or  Germany  —  that  would 
be  bad  business  and  discreditable ;  (3)  that  we  could 
not  leave  them  to  themselves,  —  they  were  unfit  for 
self-government  and  they  would  soon  have  anarchy 
and  misrule  over  there,  worse  than  Spain's  was;  and 
(4)  that  there  was  nothing  left  for  us  to  do  but  take 
them  all,  and  to  educate  the  Filipinos,  and  uplift  and 
civilize  and  Christianize  them,  and,  by  God's  grace, 
to  do  the  very  best  we  could  by  them,  as  our  fellow- 
men  for  whom  Christ  also  died.  And  then  I  went  to 
bed,  and  went  to  sleep,  and  slept  soundly,  and  the 
next  morning  I  sent  for  the  chief  engineer  of  the  War 
Department  (our  map  maker)  and  told  him  to  put  the 
Philippines  on  the  map  of  the  United  States'  (point- 
ing to  a  large  map  on  the  wall  of  his  office) ;  '  and  there 
they  are,  and  there  they  will  stay  while  I  am  President !' " 

In  1898  a  commission  was  appointed  by  the 
President  to  investigate  and  report  on  the  con- 
ditions of  affairs  in  the  islands.  A  year  later 
a  second  commission  was  appointed  to  establish 
civil  government.  The  members  of  the  commis- 
sion were  William  H.  Taft,  president,  Dean  C. 
Worcester,  Luke  E.  Wright,  Henry  C.  Ide, 
Bernard  Moses.  These  men  gave  themselves 
to  their  difficult  task  with  signal  ability  and 
absolute  consecration,  toiling  terribly  in  the 
attempt  to  bring  order  out  of  confusion,  and  to 
establish  just  and  stable  government  in  the 
islands. 

Education.  —  A  prominent  Filipino  has  said, 


THE  PHILIPPINES  241 

*  The  Filipinos  have  three  great  needs,  and  none 
of  them  is  independence.  The  first  is  schools, 
the  second  is  more  schools,  and  the  third  is  MORE 
SCHOOLS."  This  need  was  perceived  by  the 
American  authorities,  and  one  of  the  first  acts 
following  the  pacification  of  the  islands  was  the 
establishment  of  a  national  system  of  public 
schools.  The  Spanish  government  had  not 
been  blind  to  the  need  of  the  people  for  better 
education.  In  1860  a  public  school  law  for  the 
Philippines  had  been  enacted.  Owing  to  the 
fanatical  opposition  of  the  Friar  authorities  on 
the  islands,  the  law  had  been  largely  inoperative. 
The  little  schools  under  Friar  inspection  remained 
mediaeval  in  tone,  the  curriculum  made  up  of 
Church  Doctrine  and  Catechism.  The  Spanish 
liberals,  far  away,  were  unable  to  effect  anything 
against  the  reactionary  authorities  of  the  island 
world. 

The  Spanish  minister  for  the  colonies,  in  a  re- 
port made  December  5,  1870,  in  speaking  of  the 
Friar  opposition  to  the  secularizing  of  education, 
says,  "While  every  acknowledgment  should  be 
made  for  their  services  in  the  earlier  times,  their 
narrow,  exclusively  religious  system  of  education 
and  their  imperviousness  to  modern  or  external 
ideas  and  influence  rendered  secularization  of 
instruction  necessary." 

That  secularization  of  education  began  in 
earnest  when  the  first  shipload  of  American 
public  school  teachers  was  landed  in  Manila,  in 
August,  1901,  — five  hundred  men  and  women. 
With  gay  courage  they  undertook  a  task  whose 


242  CHRISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

difficulty  they  did  not  dream.  They  had  liter- 
ally to  create  a  system  without  tools  or  guidance. 
They  were  ignorant  of  the  language,  not  yet 
inured  to  the  climate,  unacquainted  with  the 
customs  and  temperament  of  the  people.  In 
weakness  and  loneliness,  without  proper  school- 
houses  or  text-books  or  appliances  of  any  sort, 
they  set  about  their  task.  When  one  considers 
the  numerous  difficulties,  the  hostility  of  the 
church  authorities,  the  prejudice  and  ignorance 
of  the  people,  the  inexperience  of  the  teachers, 
the  wonder  arises  almost  to  the  height  of 
miracle  that  they  succeeded  at  all.  For  they 
did  succeed.  Other  hundreds  followed  the  first; 
schools  were  opened  in  lonely  pueblos,  and  the 
shy  brown  children  set  to  learning  English. 
"  If  they  are  not  church  schools,  no  one  will  come," 
prophesied  the  opposition,  but  come  they  did  in 
ever  increasing  throngs.  The  census  of  1903 
shows  that  the  enrolment  was  one  hundred 
thousand  pupils.  In  March,  1904,  this  had  risen 
to  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  thousand; 
in  September,  1905,  to  three  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  children  in  the  primary 
schools,  eight  thousand  in  the  intermediate, 
twelve  thousand  in  the  night  schools.  In  April, 
1906,  the  surprising  total  of  five  hundred  thou- 
sand pupils  was  reached.  There  are  now  em- 
ployed in  teaching  the  children,  three  thousand 
seven  hundred  Filipino  teachers  and  nine  hun- 
dred American  teachers.  The  work  of  the 
Americans  is  becoming  more  fully  that  of  super- 
vision.   By  institutes,  teachers'  classes,  vacation 


THE  PHILIPPINES  243 

schools,  normal  classes,  frequent  visitation,  and  by 
thorough  preparation  in  normal  schools  they  are 
helping  to  make  the  Filipino  teacher  adequate 
to  his  tasks.  Said  one  of  those  Filipino  teachers 
who  visited  the  St.  Louis  Exposition  (speaking 
good  English),  "My  people  have  learned  more 
English  in  the  three  years  of  American  schools 
than  Spanish  during  the  three  hundred  years 
of  Spanish  occupation."  The  amount  to  be 
done  was  staggering.  The  best-equipped  native 
teachers  were  hardly  beyond  our  fifth  grade 
pupils  in  mental  attainments,  and  were  abso- 
lutely ignorant  of  modern  ideas  of  education. 
The  government  schools  acted  as  a  powerful 
stimulant  to  the  church  schools  that  sprung  up 
in  the  cities.  The  course  of  study  in  the  church 
schools  seems  painfully  mediaeval.  One  text- 
book of  two  hundred  pages  contains  the  com- 
bined course  of  study  in  English  and  Spanish 
grammar,  history,  geography,  arithmetic,  and 
geometry.  The  presence  of  free  education  will 
gradually  force  those  schools  to  a  better  and 
more  liberal  course  of  study.  Meanwhile  the 
Filipino  child  is  getting  more  attention  paid  to 
his  education  than  was  ever  expended  before. 
Following  the  establishment  of  common  schools 
a  system  of  intermediate  schools  was  planned, 
and  when  the  pupils  and  teachers  were  prepared, 
a  suitable  number  of  secondary  schools.  An  act 
already  passed  provides  for  sending  each  year 
a  number  of  fit  students  for  four  years'  training 
in  American  colleges.  Thus  it  is  hoped  to  equip 
future   leaders   of  the   people.    The   following 


244  CRRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

quotation  is  taken  from  a  recent  report  of  the 
Superintendent  of  Education,  Dr.  Barrows:  — 

"School  enrolment  and  attendance  have  multi- 
plied beyond  every  expectation,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
people  and  of  the  Filipino  press  is  most  heartily  and 
loyally  in  accord  with  us.  .  .  .  (This  is  the  most 
striking  feature  of  the  situation  which  no  keen  observer 
of  what  is  going  on  in  the  islands  will  have  failed  to 
note;  the  most  radical  Filipinos  and  the  most  radical 
Filipino  newspapers,  however  covert  their  criticisms 
of  American  rule  in  other  ways,  are  enthusiastically 
supporting  the  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Education.) 
Without  this  assistance  of  these  leaders  of  the  Filipino 
people  themselves,  all  efforts  of  the  Bureau  of  Educa- 
tion would  be  not  only  impotent,  but  it  would  not  be 
proper  to  make  them.  The  encouraging  feature  of 
our  work  is  that  we  are  working  and  planning  for  a 
people  of  no  mean  spirit  and  no  small  ambition.  The 
Filipino  is  quite  as  eager  and  ambitious  as  his  success- 
ful neighbor,  the  Japanese,  and  appears  disposed  to 
make  no  less  sacrifices  in  behalf  of  his  progress.  It 
is  in  the  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Education  that  his 
progress  fundamentally  and  always  rests.  Material 
advantages  can  be  neither  taken  advantage  of  nor 
enjoyed  by  a  people  illiterate  and  ignorant.  Develop- 
ments of  markets  and  of  trade  only  accompany  higher 
standards  of  life,  and  higher  standards  of  life  proceed 
nowhere  so  quickly  as  from  an  advance  in  education. 
The  successful  issue  of  the  public  government  inaugu- 
rated in  this  country  rests  more  than  anything  else 
on  the  work  done  in  the  schools.  If  the  work  done  by 
the  Bureau  of  Education  succeeds,  the  American  govern- 
ment implanted  in  these  islands  will  succeed. 

"The  experiment  in  which  we  are  engaging  is  not 
only  as  noble  as  that  in  which  any  party  of  men  can 
participate,  but  it  is  also  significant  for  the  future  of 
civilization  in  Asia.  It  is  worthy  of  receiving  the  very 
last  meed  of  devotion  and  the  sacrifice  even  of  fife 


THE  PHILIPPINES  245 

itself.  Our  work  is  to  plant  here  the  result  of  American 
democracy  and  to  justify  its  ideals.  We  are  here  to 
promote  a  better  understanding  between  the  races 
and  to  bring  about  a  thorough  spiritual  accord  between 
the  men  of  the  East  and  the  West,  in  which  our  own 
nation  shall  be  the  leader.  Whether  or  not  the  po- 
litical authority  of  the  United  States  shall  forever 
continue  in  these  islands  or  shall  extend  beyond  them 
may  be  a  question  of  difference  of  opinion ;  but  if  the 
ideals  for  which  American  democracy  stands  are  to 
prevail  in  the  world,  the  educational  mission  of  our 
nation  must  succeed." 


246  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 


FILIPINO  LIMITATIONS 

"Like  all  Malays,  like  all  the  tropical  peoples,  the 
Filipinos  are  in  a  condition  racially  of  child  develop- 
ment. As  to  matters  which  children  can  comprehend, 
they  are  precocious,  but  face  to  face  with  adult 
problems  of  Western  civilization,  they  lack  self-reliance 
and  initiative  and  that  energy  of  character  without 
which  popular  liberty,  as  we  understand  it,  is  impos- 
sible. A  most  significant  and  discouraging  fact  is 
that  few,  if  any,  Filipinos  of  prominence  are  pure 
Filipino,  but  are  mixed  with  Mongol  or  European. 
I  was  not  able  to  meet  or  to  hear  of  a  single  Filipino 
of  exceptional  force  or  distinction  who  was  not  more  or 
less  obviously  a  mixed  blood.  In  most  cases  capacity 
and  success  are  traceable  to  the  genius  of  the  Chinese, 
which  seems  to  be  a  natural  admixture  of  the  Malay, 
resulting  in  a  superior  type.  The  Chinese  blood  in 
Mabini  and  in  the  native  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court 
is  conspicuous. 

"The  people  of  the  country  impress  one  pleasantly. 
They  have  many  attractive  traits  and  but  few  vices. 
They  are  by  nature  peaceable,  justice-loving,  and  for 
the  most  part  law-abiding.  Their  domestic  lives  are 
clean,  but  politically  they  are  babes.  They  have 
neither  the  capacity  for,  the  conception  of,  nor  the 
desire  for  self-government  as  we  understand  it.  The 
presidentes  or  headmen  of  the  villages  often  make 
admirable  executives,  but  the  presidentes  would  gasp 
at  the  suggestion  that  the  peasants  were  entitled  to 
equal  rights  guaranteed  by  our  Constitution. 

"They  need  education  along  all  lines;  they  need 
development.  The  cost  of  educating  them  and  de- 
veloping them  may  be  heavy  to  the  United  States,  but 
we  have  put  ourselves  in  such  a  position  that  we  cannot 
morally  withdraw  from  meeting  it.  The  argument 
that  we  are  undermining  our  own  democracy  by  ruling 
paternally  an  alien  people  is  nullified  by  the  obvious 


THE  PHILIPPINES  247 

moral  requirements  of  the  situation.  It  is  not  a  ques- 
tion of  what  we  should  have  done,  or  of  what  we  should 
like  to  do,  but  of  what  we  must  do.  To  give  them 
independence  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  the  blood 
from  our  hands  and  whitening  our  good  name  would 
have  the  same  merit  as  to  abandon  an  illegitimate 
child  in  order  to  put  away  the  evidence  of  sin." 

—  David  Gray. 

THE  AGLIPAY  MOVEMENT 

During  the  stormy  days  of  the  rebellion  of 
1896  and  1898,  a  Filipino  priest  named  Aglipay 
fell  into  disfavor  with  the  Friar  authorities. 
He  was  an  Ilokano  by  birth,  carefully  educated 
for  the  priesthood,  and  trusted  by  his  superiors 
as  a  young  man  of  marked  ability.  As  a  result 
of  the  difficulties  he  was  excommunicated  by 
an  unjust  and  glaringly  irregular  procedure. 
The  Pope  was  far  away.  Aglipay  had  no  power 
to  get  his  cause  laid  before  him.  He  joined  the 
insurrection  and  became  one  of  Aguinaldo's 
trusted  associates.  In  1899  he  took  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  United  States.  At  that  time 
one  of  the  questions  most  deeply  agitating 
the  people  was  the  disposition  of  the  Friars  and 
the  Friar  land  question.  For  four  years  after  the 
battle  of  Manila  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
had  no  clearly  defined  policy.  The  people  sus- 
pected that  the'  United  States  government  might 
even  assist  the  church  authorities  to  force  back 
the  Friars  upon  the  parishes  from  which  they 
had  been  expelled.  If  there  could  have  been 
prompt  and  generous  action  on  the  part  of  Rome, 
it  is  probable  that  there  would  have  been  no 
independent  church  movement.    Following  the 


248  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

conference  held  by  Governor  Taft  with  the  Vati- 
can in  1902,  there,  was  no  certainty  that  the 
generous  terms  offered  by  the  government  would 
be  accepted  by  the  Pope.  Governor  Taft  was 
unable  to  announce  positively  that  the  Friars 
would  be  withdrawn,  and  with  every  month's 
delay  the  independent  movement  gathered  head- 
way. The  Pope's  bull  did  not  help  matters, 
for  it  showed  plainly  that  reactionary  forces 
were  at  work  in  Rome,  and  its  publication  wi- 
dened the  breach.  If  the  Pope,  they  said,  was 
the  dupe  of  bad  advisers,  why  not  get  on  with- 
out a  Pope?  Aglipay  became  the  leader  of  a 
movement  that  has  shown  no  signs  of  diminish- 
ing, but  on  the  contrary  enrolls  to-day  numbers 
variously  estimated  to  be  from  one-third  to  one- 
half  of  the  native  Christian  population.  Two 
hundred  priests  have  gone  over  to  the  movement. 
Many  young  native  priests  have  been  ordained. 
A  weekly  newspaper  is  maintained,  and  in  some 
locations  whole  communities  have  gone  over  to 
the  "  Independent  Catholic  Church."  In  1902 
constitutions  and  doctrines  were  drawn  up. 
These  canons  recognized  lay  participation  in  the 
government  of  the  church  from  top  to  bottom; 
freedom  of  individual  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures;  the  duty  of  circulating  the  Scriptures; 
and  the  necessity  of  welcoming  the  teachings 
of  modern  science.  The  church  government  is 
intensely  national.  The  authority  of  the  Pope 
is  repudiated,  bishops  and  clergy  are  Filipino, 
and  are  elected,  not  appointed. 

One  of  the  first  points  of  controversy  between 


THE  PHILIPPINES  249 

the  old  church  and  the  new  was  the  possession 
of  the  parish  churches.  These  had  been  built 
by  the  people,  and  belonged  to  the  people,  said 
the  Aglipay  leaders;  they  belonged  to  the  hier- 
archy, said  the  Roman  bishops.  Governor 
Taft  managed  to  steer  between  the  angry  dis- 
putants, with  a  proclamation  known  as  "the 
Proclamation  of  Peaceful  Possession."  The1 
gist  of  this  order  is  that  the  party  in  peaceable 
possession  of  any  house  of  worship  shall  be 
deemed  the  rightful  occupant  until  the  contrary 
is  proved  in  the  courts.  The  justice  of  this 
order  was  apparent,  and  it  did  much  to  quiet 
the  bitter  feeling.  A  less  just  or  decided  man 
than  Governor  Taft  might  easily  have  brought 
on  a  civil  war  over  this  question.  In  disputed 
cases  when  the  matter  comes  before  the  courts, 
the  solution  will  not  be  easy.  Equity  seems 
clearly  on  the  side  of  the  people;  canonical  law 
and  precedent  are  no  less  decided  in  vesting 
church  property  in  the  archbishop  in  trust  to 
the  hierarchy. 

Says  Professor  Willis  in  "Our  Philippine 
Problem":  — 

"Legal  questions  aside,  the  problems  of  equity  are 
perfectly  clear.  People  built  the  churches  by  their 
forced  labor,  and  if  they  belong  to  any  one,  they  belong 
to  those  who  built  them  or  to  their  successors.  It 
does  not  seem  open  to  question  that  where  a  whole 
town  has  changed  its  religion,  it  should  be  allowed  to 
carry  with  it  the  use  of  the  house  of  worship  which  it 
itself  erected.  How  will  the  commission  decide  this 
question  through  the  courts?  The  problem  is  essen- 
tially ethical  and  political  rather  than   legal   in   its 


250  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

character.  It  must  be  solved  primarily  upon  equi- 
table principles  and  secondarily  only  upon  a  basis  of 
legal  technicality.  The  decision  should  depend  upon 
the  view  taken  of  the  rights  of  the  case  and  the  wishes  of 
the  people,  and  not  at  all  upon  political  considerations 
of  party  standing  as  affected  by  the  attitude  of  a  power- 
ful and  semi-political  church  party  in  the  United 
States." 

The  weakness  of  the  Aglipay  movement  is 
moral.  It  makes  no  new  demands  for  clean 
living  upon  its  priesthood;  leaves  the  celibacy 
of  the  clergy  untouched.  It  lays  no  burden  of 
abandoning  gambling,  cock-fighting,  and  the 
like  upon  its  followers.  It  is  possible,  however, 
that,  as  in  the  case  of  the  English  revolt  under 
Henry  VIII.,  the  stream  may  purify  itself  as  it 
flows.  Certainly  the  promulgation  of  a  free 
Bible  and  a  free  state  is  a  good  beginning  toward 
purer  doctrine  and  life.  The  movement  has  un- 
doubtedly come  to  stay,  and  is  destined  to  power- 
fully influence  the  Filipino  destiny. 

PROTESTANTISM  IN  THE  PHILIPPINES 

The  immediate  outcome  of  the  transfer  of  the 
sovereignty  of  the  Philippines  from  Spain  to  the 
United  States  was  the  establishment  of  religious 
liberty.  Under  the  domination  of  the  Friars, 
the  mediseval  intolerance  of  heresy  that  marked 
the  days  of  the  Inquisition  still  persisted.  All 
teachings  of  Protestant  doctrine  was  made  a 
crime  by  the  Spanish  penal  code  of  the  islands. 
Deportation,  imprisonment,  and  death  were 
punishments  meted  out  to  men  for  the  crime 
of  possessing  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  or 


THE  PHILIPPINES  251 

teaching  doctrines  contrary  to  those  of  the  state 
church.  Under  American  sovereignty  the  separa- 
tion of  church  and  state  and  consequent  liberty 
of  dissent  were  assured.  Within  three  months  of 
the  battle  of  Manila  the  leading  Protestant  mis- 
sionary societies  were  consulting  in  regard  to 
methods  to  be  adopted  in  planting  missions  in 
the  Philippines. 

Reasons  for  the  Protestant  Advance.  —  The 
question  at  once  occurs  whether  such  entrance 
into  a  Roman  Catholic  country  was  either  neces- 
sary or  justifiable.  If  it  were  made  in  any  nar- 
row or  sectarian  spirit  of  simply  denouncing  the 
errors  of  Romanism  and  attempting  to  win  in- 
structed and  consistent  Romanists  away  from 
their  church  loyalty,  no  such  entrance  could  be 
justified;  but  the  real  justification  and  necessity 
of  the  Protestant  entrance  into  the  Philippines  lie 
on  quite  other  grounds.  In  the  first  place,  with 
the  coming  of  the  United  States  there  was  sure 
to  be  a  growing  American  community,  largely 
Protestant,  which  would  require  the  establish- 
ment of  Protestant  churches;  and  to  minister  to 
these  men  and  women  of  their  own  faith  the 
presence  of  Protestant  ministers  was  needed. 
Again,  there  was  a  large  body  of  the  natives  of  the 
interior  yet  unreached  by  the  Roman  Church. 
The  Igorottes  and  the  Negritos  are  Pagan;  the 
Moros,  Moslem.  Of  the  so-called  Christian  tribes 
many  are  barely  within  the  pale  of  civilization, 
without  education  or  any  real  understanding  of 
Christianity,  or  attachment  to  any  church.  The 
resources  of  the  Friars  never  have  been  sufficient 


252  CHRISTUS  EEDEMPTOB 

to  evangelize,  educate,  and  civilize  these  back- 
ward portions  of  the  community.  Without  touch- 
ing on  ground  already  occupied  by  them,  there  is 
a  large  opportunity  for  admirable  work  of  Chris- 
tianization  to  be  done  by  various  Protestant 
bodies. 

The  need  of  disseminating  a  knowledge  of  the 
Bible  is  a  further  reason  for  the  presence  of 
Protestant  bodies.  A  fundamental  error  of  the 
past,  responsible  for  much  weakness  and  super- 
stition, was  the  withholding  of  the  Bible  in  the 
vernacular  and  in  Spanish.  A  free  Bible  in  a 
free  state  is  the  glory  of  Protestantism.  Since 
1902  the  Filipinos  have  been  buying  Bibles  for 
themselves  at  the  rate  of  five  thousand  per 
month.  Another  reason  for  the  presence  of 
Protestantism  exists  in  the  thousands  of  those 
who  through  the  civil  disorders  and  the  abuses 
of  the  Friars  have  drifted  out  of  faith  in  the 
Christian  communion  into  which  they  were  born. 
These  could  not  be  reached  and  helped  by  the 
Roman  Church  on  account  of  their  intense 
prejudice  against  the  abuses  which  they  have 
connected  with  that  church.  They  crowd  Protes- 
tant services  and  receive  eagerly  and  joyfully 
this  form  of  the  one  Christian  faith  which  comes 
to  them  unconnected  with  past  abuses  and 
suffering.  If  thousands  of  Filipinos  are  to  be 
held  to  religious  sanctions  at  all,  it  must  be  by 
Protestant  ministrations.  And  lastly,  the  pres- 
ence of  Protestants  is  a  distinct  benefit  to  the 
Roman  Church  itself.  A  monopoly  in  religion 
is  as  dangerous  as  any  other  monopoly.     Out  of 


THE  PHILIPPINES  253 

free  discussion,  the  comparison  of  views,  the 
insistence  on  partial  truths,  comes  finally  liber- 
ality of  thought,  wideness  of  vision,  and  a  gain 
to  the  appreciation  of  the  universal  truth  that 
underlies  the  particular.  When  the  Methodists 
were  trying  to  get  a  lease  for  a  piece  of  govern- 
ment property  from  the  Philippine  civil  com- 
missioners, one  of  the  commissioners  said:  "I 
shall  vote  to  grant  the  petition.  I  am  a  Catholic, 
but  I  believe  in  competition  in  religion." 

" '  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone/  "  says  Dr. 
Stuntz;  "that  is  equally  true  of  him  in  his 
organization  for  social  and  religious  ends. 
Monopolies  become  bigoted.  It  will  be  a  tonic 
for  Catholicism  to  have  the  Protestant  churches 
by  her  side." 

There  will  doubtless  be  a  bitterness  at  first, 
but  if  Protestants  hold  true  to  the  great  causes 
for  which  they  stand,  cease  to  din  at  error  and 
emphasize  the  positive  message  rather  than  the 
negative  criticism,  there  will  come  a  time  when 
the  fife  of  the  Filipinos  will  be  richer,  fuller,  and 
freer  for  the  presence  of  both  great  wings  of  the 
Christian  church.  It  is  indicative  of  the  grow- 
ing spirit  of  cooperation  that  the  entrance  of 
Protestantism  was  the  occasion  of  a  friendly 
agreement  among  the  various  mission  boards  that 
divided  the  territory  so  as  to  avoid  duplication 
of  machinery  and  overlapping  of  work.  It  re- 
mains to  consider  very  briefly  the  various  bodies 
now  actively  engaged  in  the  islands. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Mission.  —  Characteristic 
energy  was  shown  by  the  Methodist  Board  in 


254  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

telegraphing  to  Bishop  Thoburn,  then  in  Singa- 
pore, "  Proceed  at  once  to  Manila."  In  March, 
1899,  he  preached  his  first  sermon,  while  the  city- 
was  still  in  tumult  of  insurrection.  As  so  often 
happens  there  had  been  an  unconscious  prepara- 
tion on  the  field  for  the  opening  of  this  mission. 
A  certain  Sefior  Paulino  Zamora  some  twenty 
years  before  had  secured  a  portion  of  a  Spanish 
Bible  from  a  sea  captain,  and  had  studied  it  in 
secret  until  in  1879  he  obtained  a  complete  Bible 
from  an  agent  of  the  British  Bible  Society.  Not 
daring  to  keep  this  in  his  home  in  Manila,  he 
moved  to  another  province  and  there  studied  his 
treasure.  It  became  known  to  the  authorities 
that  he  was  reading  the  Bible  to  his  neighbors. 
He  was  arrested,  his  Bible  taken  away,  and  he 
cast  into  prison  in  Manila.  Thence  he  was 
banished  to  an  island  in  the  Mediterranean.  He 
was  one  of  many  prisoners  for  conscience'  sake 
set  free  by  the  treaty  of  Paris.  He  went  at 
once  to  Spain,  attached  himself  to  a  group  of 
Spanish  Protestants,  and  returned  later  to  his 
own  land,  bringing  many  Bibles  and  Testaments. 
He  found  that  his  son,  Nicholas,  who  had  been 
educated  for  the  priesthood,  was  already  imbued  • 
with  his  father's  ideas,  and  ready,  now  that  free- 
dom had  come,  to  follow  him.  These  two  men 
were  in  the  little  gathering  of  half-scared  Filipinos 
who  came  to  listen  to  the  first  preaching  services 
held  by  Rev.  Arthur  W.  Prautch,  a  Methodist 
local  preacher  who  had  worked  among  the 
American  soldiers  in  Manila.  An  interpreter 
failing  to  appear  one  Sunday,  Nicholas  Zamora 


THE  PHILIPPINES  255 

acted  in  his  stead,  and  the  native  leader  of  the 
new  church  was  discovered.  He  began  preach- 
ing in  other  places  also,  and  crowds  filled  any- 
building  in  which  Nicholas  was  announced  to 
speak.  In  1900  Bishop  Thoburn  paid  a  second 
visit  and  found  this  man  and  determined  to 
ordain  him.  A  cable  message  to  the  only 
conference  then  in  session,  that  of  South  Kansas, 
secured  the  admission  of  the  young  man  into  the 
conference  as  deacon.  After  a  month's  instruc- 
tion he  was  solemnly  ordained  a  minister  of 
the  Methodist  Church.  Under  his  leadership 
the  first  Filipino  Protestant  church  was  built 
and  paid  for  in  1900.  In  manning  the  new 
mission  with  Americans  it  was  soon  found  that 
Spanish  would  be  of  very  little  use.  Less  than 
ten  per  cent  of  the  people  understood  colloquial 
Spanish.  If  the  common  people  were  to  be 
reached  during  the  next  forty  years,  it  must  be 
through  their  mother  tongue.  Work  was  begun 
on  the  languages.  A  mission  press  was  estab- 
lished, and  in  1902  it  turned  out  four  million 
pages  of  literature.  Many  native  evangelists 
have  been  trained  and  sent  out.  These  men 
work  at  their  trades  by  day  and  preach  nights 
and  Sundays.  Of  the  hundred  or  more  employed, 
only  seven  receive  one  penny  of  foreign  money, 
and  these  are  leaders  who  give  their  entire  time. 
The  settled  purpose  is  to  make  the  mission 
self-supporting  and  self-propagating. 

Incidents  of  the  Work.  —  Many  touching 
incidents  are  recorded  of  the  eagerness  of  the 
people   for   the   gospel.     In   Malibay,   Zamora 


256  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

began  preaching  in  1900.  By  Christmas  Day  of 
1901,  virtually  the  whole  community  had  come 
into  the  church.  The  stone  church  built  by 
their  fathers  and  abandoned  by  the  Friars  was 
used  for  the  service.  Three  hundred  members 
were  received  on  Christmas  into  the  church,  and 
then  followed  a  wonderful  communion  service. 
In  perfect  reverence  and  breathless  expectation 
the  people  waited  to  receive  for  the  first  time  in 
their  lives  the  cup  as  well  as  the  bread  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  One  old  man  with  streaming 
eyes  held  the  cup  saying,  as  his  hands  shook 
with  emotion,  "  I  am  unworthy,  I  am  unworthy." 
The  church  now  numbers  nearly  five  hundred,  and 
has  never  cost  the  Board  one  cent  in  missionary 
appropriation.  It  carries  on  services  in  several 
outlying  barrios,  and  has  organized  a  branch 
church  from  the  voluntary  labors  of  the  mem- 
bers. At  Malolos  an  aged  woman,  Narcissa, 
had  been  praying  devoutly  for  two  years  that 
men  might  come  to  teach  the  Bible,  and' received 
the  missionaries  as  the  "  angels  of  God."  Services 
in  her  house  resulted  in  the  founding  of  a  strong 
church. 

In  Manila  Mr.  McLaughlin  has  seen  the  mem- 
bers grow  from  two  hundred  to  more  than  two 
thousand  in  eleven  chapels  built  by  the  people 
themselves.  In  1903  Bishop  Warren  was  greeted 
by  an  audience  of  eighteen  hundred  adults,  all 
Methodist  church  members  admitted  by  ticket. 

In  Panpanga  a  wealthy  family  who  owned  a 
large  theatre  gave  it  to  be  used  as  a  church,  and 
it  is  filled  every  Sunday  with  a  congregation  of 


THE  PHILIPPINES  257 

one  thousand.  A  training  school  for  deaconesses 
was  opened  in  1903,  and  has  been  filled  with 
earnest  women  from  the  first. 

The  Presbyterian  Mission.  —  While,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  first  officially  appointed  representa- 
tive of  Protestantism  in  the  Philippines  was 
Bishop  Thoburn,  the  first  regularly  appointed 
permanent  missionary  was  Rev.  J.  B.  Rodgers 
of  the  Presbyterian  Mission.  He  was  trans- 
ferred from  Brazil  in  1899.  His  years  of  ex- 
perience in  Brazil  and  his  perfect  command 
of  Spanish  were  of  great  advantage  to  the  mis- 
sion, and  he  was  himself  one  of  the  strongest 
forces  in  bringing  about  the  organization  of 
the  Evangelical  Union.  In  1901  the  various 
Protestant  bodies  represented  in  the  Philippines 
united  to  form  what  is  known  as  the  Evangelical 
Union  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  under  which 
they  agreed  to  cooperate  for  the  speedy  evangeli- 
zation of  the  population.  By  this  broad-minded 
policy  the  understanding  of  subdividing  the  field, 
which  had  been  outlined  somewhat  vaguely  by 
the  home  boards,  was  confirmed,  and  an  allot- 
ment of  territory  made  to  various  denominations. 
The  Methodists  were  assigned  that  portion  of 
Luzon  between  Manila  and  Dagupan  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  in  addition  Cagayan  Valley.  To 
the  Presbyterians  was  assigned  all  of  the  south- 
ern part  of  Luzon,  and  work  in  Panay  and 
Negros  to  be  divided  by  them  and  the  Baptists, 
as  the  two  bodies  thought  best.  This  gave  the 
Presbyterians  a  compact  territory  in  southern 
Luzon  with  but  two  languages,  and  the  fertile 


258  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

islands  of  Panay  and  Negros,  to  which  were 
later  added  Cebu  and  the  Visayan  islands.  As 
the  work  was  ultimately  divided  between  the 
Presbyterians  and  Baptists,  the  former  were  given 
a  territory  about  four  hundred  miles  in  length 
embracing  eight  islands  and  three  main  lan- 
guages. The  Presbyterians  are  carrying  on  evan- 
gelistic, educational,  and  medical  mission  work. 
The  features  of  the  evangelistic  work  are  similar 
to  those  already  given  of  the  Methodist  Mission. 
In  Cebu  Friar  influence  was  very  strong,  and 
much  opposition  and  no  little  persecution  was 
met.  The  meetings  were  broken  up,  converts 
were  stoned,  the  rental  of  buildings  was  refused ; 
but  late  news  shows  that  the  people  are  turning 
in  large  numbers  to  the  mission,  and  that  requests 
for  teachers  are  sent  from  many  towns.  In 
Dr.  Arthur  J.  Brown's  "New  Era  in  the  Philip- 
pines," he  speaks  of  the  eagerness  of  the  people 
in  Iloilo  to  hear  the  gospel. 

"One  of  the  notable  sights  of  the  Philippines  is 
seen  in  Iloilo  Saturday  evenings.  My  room  in  the 
second  story  of  Dr.  Hall's  house  opened  into  a  wide 
Spanish  hall  with  a  broad  flight  of  stairs  to  the  story 
below.  About  five  o'clock  I  was  startled  to  find  the 
hall,  landing,  and  stairs  packed  with  Filipinos  sitting 
quietly  on  the  floor  and  steps.  They  had  walked  in,  — 
men,  women,  and  children,  from  the  outlying  villages,  — 
some  of  them  four  hours  distant,  in  order  to  attend 
Sunday  service.  So  many  regularly  do  this,  coming 
Saturday  and  remaining  until  Monday,  that  the  mis- 
sionaries have  been  obliged  to  rent  a  large  room  in 
which  the  men  can  spend  the  nights,  the  women  oc- 
cupying the  chapel.  The  people  are  quiet  and  well 
behaved.    They  bring  their  own  food.  .  .  .    When 


THE  PHILIPPINES  259 

men  and  women  walk  fifteen  miles  in  the  hot  sun  and 
sleep  two  nights  on  a  hard  floor  to  attend  a  Protestant 
service,  there  is  certainly  something  more  than  curi- 
osity in  their  hearts." 

Silliman  Institute.  —  One  of  the  most  interest- 
ing and  promising  features  of  the  Presbyterian 
work  is  Silliman  Institute  at  Dumaguete,  island 
of  Negros.  This  is  an  industrial  school  patterned 
after  Hampton  and  Tuskegee,  named  in  honor 
of  its  donor,  Hon.  Horace  B.  Silliman,  LL.D., 
of  Cohoes,  New  York,  who  gave  $20,000  to  found 
it.  The  school  is  built  on  a  beautiful  palm- 
shaded  tract  of  five  acres,  situated  on  the  main 
street,  facing  the  beach.  This  school  has  the 
cordial  approval  of  the  governor  of  the  island 
and  other  prominent  Visayans.  The  industrial 
features  of  the  school  will  be  developed  gradually 
as  circumstances  justify.  The  boys  are  already 
showing  a  democratic  spirit  in  marked  contrast 
with  their  first  ideas.  A  promising  and  success- 
ful school  for  girls  is  already  in  operation  under 
the  Woman's  Board. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Mission.  — The  first  Span- 
ish service  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Philip- 
pines was  held  on  Christmas  Day,  1898,  when,  at 
the  urgent  request  of  a  number  of  Filipinos, 
Chaplain  Pierce  celebrated  the  Holy  Communion. 
Early  in  1899  two  clergymen  and  two  laymen, 
under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  John  Howe  Peyton, 
were  sent  to  Manila  by  the  Brotherhood  of  St. 
Andrew,  especially  for  work  among  soldiers.  In 
conjunction  with  Chaplain  Pierce  and  others  the 
mission  of  the  Holy  Trinity  was  started,  when 


260  CHBISTUS  BEBEMPTOB 

services  were  held  for  Filipinos  as  well  as  for  Eng- 
lish-speaking people.  In  this  year  also  Chaplain 
Pierce  secured  funds  for  a  Church  cemetery,  the 
first  piece  of  property  ever  purchased  for  the 
use  in  the  Philippines  of  an  ecclesiastical  body 
other  than  the  Roman  Church.  Two  sites  for 
church  buildings  were  also  secured. 

In  September,  1899,  Bishop  Graves  of  the 
missionary  district  of  Shanghai  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  Philippine  work,  and  in  that 
month  received  seven  Filipino  men  into  the 
Episcopal  Church.  About  the  same  time  a 
number  of  Chinese  were  baptized  by  Chaplains 
Pierce  and  Marvin.  Sunday  services  were  being 
held  at  four  points  in  Manila  in  addition  to 
the  services  at  the  barracks  and  hospitals.  In 
1900  the  Rev.  J.  L.  Smiley,  who  had  gone  out 
with  the  Brotherhood  party  and  had  remained 
in  Manila  after  its  work  among  the  soldiers  had 
ceased,  was  appointed  the  first  missionary.  Ill 
health,  however,  compelled  him  to  return  to  the 
United  States  in  a  few  months.  In  November, 
1901,  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Clapp  and  the  Rev.  John 
A.  Staunton,  Jr.,  the  first  permanent  mission- 
aries appointed  by  the  Board,  reached  Manila 
and  began  work.  They  built  a  temporary 
church  named  St.  Stephen's  in  the  Ermita  dis- 
trict, where  services  were  held  until  the  spring  of 
1905,  when  the  property  was  sold  and  the  con- 
gregation removed  to  the  parish  house  of  the 
Cathedral  of  St.  Mary  and  St.  John,  where  it  is 
now  worshipping  pending  the  completion  of  the 
cathedral  itself. 


THE  PHILIPPINES  261 

It  was  in  1901  that  the  General  Convention 
of  the  Church  sitting  in  San  Francisco  elected 
Charles  H.  Brent  the  first  missionary  bishop  of 
the  Philippines.  He  reached  Manila  in  1902  and 
was  subsequently  joined  by  other  missionaries, 
parish  visitors,  nurses,  and  visitors.  The  work 
in  Manila  is  planned  on  broad  lines.  In  the 
cathedral  house  the  forms  of  work  usual  in 
parish  houses  in  this  country  are  carried  on. 
For  example,  it  is  headquarters  for  the  Columbia 
Club,  an  organization  of  young  men  numbering 
about  four  hundred,  employed  in  the  govern- 
ment service  and  in  commercial  enterprises. 
Two  miles  distant  from  the  cathedral  is  a 
social  settlement  for  work  among  Filipinos. 
The  work  here  is  similar  to  social  settlements 
in  large  cities  elsewhere.  In  connection  with  the 
settlement  is  the  dispensary  of  St.  Luke,  the  Be- 
loved Physician.  Bishop  Brent  believes  there 
is  a  large  work  to  be  done,  among  the  Americans 
and  that  portion  of  the  native  population  which 
has  not  yet  been  touched  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  in  its  three  centuries  of  occupation. 
Work  among  the  pagan  Igorrotes  has  been  begun 
and  also  a  strong  mission  among  the  Chinese  in 
Manila.  Homes  and  orphanages  for  native 
Filipinos  have  been  planned,  and  two  centres 
of  work  among  the  native  tribes  of  the 
interior  have  already  been  established:  one  at 
Bontoc  on  the  Island  of  Luzon,  the  other  at 
Zamboanga  on  the  Island  of  Mindanao.  These 
include  church,  school,  and  dispensary,  and 
minister  to  about  one  hundred  thousand  people, 


262  CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOB 

among  whom  no  other  Christian  work  is  being 
carried  on. 

The  Baptist  Mission.  —  The  Baptist  field  of 
activity  has  been  in  the  Visayan  Islands,  notably 
in  Panay  and  Negros.  The  story  of  their  work 
among  the  Visayan  peasants  of  Panay  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of 
the  Philippines.  When  work  was  opened,  it 
was  supposed  that  it  would  be  done  largely 
among  the  relatively  small  number  of  educated, 
Spanish-speaking,  upper  classes.  In  its  devel- 
opment it  has  been  in  great  part  among  the 
simple,  humble-minded  and  devout  peasants, 
living  in  the  barrios,  or  village  hamlets  of  the 
islands.  These  peasants  had  been  marvellously 
prepared  for  missionary  work  by  one  of  those 
forerunners  whose  work  is  repeated  in  missionary 
stories  of  so  many  lands. 

Padre  Juan.  —  About  forty  years  ago  a  native 
priest  named  Padre  Juan  was  sent  by  the  Friars 
to  labor  as  a  missionary  among  the  backwoods 
peasants.  He  came  among  them  like  some 
divine  creature  winning  their  love.  He  told 
them  of  Jesus  the  Saviour,  of  the  love  of  God, 
—  he  read  to  them  from  the  Bible,  and  some 
say  he  prophesied  that  true  teachers  would 
come  to  them,  men  different  from  the  Friars, 
whom  they  should  recognize  because  they 
brought  the  Bible.  The  peasant  tradition  is  that 
the  Friars  learned  of  those  strange  doctrines 
Padre  Juan  was  teaching,  and  sent  and  took 
him  by  the  civil  guard  and  imprisoned  him  in  a 
penal  settlement,  where  he  died.    The  peasants 


THE  PHILIPPINES  263 

were  mercilessly  punished  for  listening  to  his 
heresies,  but  this  only  served  to  drive  the  heresies 
deep  down  from  their  stupid  brains  into  their 
patient  hearts,  there  to  hide  until  the  prophecy 
came  true. 

Mass  Movement  among  the  Peasants.  —  When 
the  Baptists  first  began  work  at  Jaro  (haro), 
the  people  gathered  shyly  to  hear  them.  They 
saw  that  the  strangers  brought  a  book  which  they 
called  the  word  of  God,  —  that  they  read 
from  it  and  reverenced  it.  Were  not  these  the 
men  of  whom  Padre  Juan  had  told  them  ?  The 
query  travelled  from  barrio  to  barrio  —  the  Prot- 
estant services  were  thronged.  In  less  than 
nine  months  a  petition  bearing  thirteen  thousand 
names  was  brought  to  the  missionaries.  The 
petition  stated  that  all  whose  names  were  signed 
were  Protestants,  —  believers  in  God's  word, 
and  wished  to  be  organized  as  Protestants. 
Rev.  C.  W.  Briggs  tells  how  the  throngs  of 
men,  women,  and  children  walked,  some  of 
them  fifteen  miles,  to  attend  service  on  Sunday. 
"They  come  Saturday  night,"  he  says,  "bring 
their  own  food,  and  sleep  on  bare  floors  for  the 
privilege  on  Sunday  for  which  their  souls  thirst. 
They  are  very  ignorant,  superstitious,  but  hum- 
ble and  open-minded,  and  eager  as  little  children 
for  the  simple  truth  of  God's  redeeming  love 
manifested  through  Jesus  Christ."  Mr.  Briggs 
tells  further  of  the  devotion  of  these  men  in 
spreading  their  new-found  joy. 

"I  have  tramped  with  some  of  them  day  after  day 
through  all  the  barrio  country,  and  at  the  end  of  the 


264  CHEISTUS  BEDEMPTOB 

day,  when  we  were  all  tired  and  I  have  had  to  stretch 
out  on  a  cot  and  go  to  sleep,  these  brethren  have  made 
it  a  practice  to  get  a  crowd  around  them  and  teach  and 
preach  and  sing  half  the  night,  day  after  day,  and 
month  after  month." 

During  the  last  year  there  have  been  great 
additions  to  the  churches  of  the  Baptist  Mission 
of  Panay.  There  are  reported,  in  1905,  eleven 
churches  with  a  membership  of  one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  six,  of  whom  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  sixteen  were  added  by  baptism 
during  the  year.  The  membership  is  restricted 
to  the  small  nucleus  of  instructed  and  intelligent 
disciples.  The  circle  of  believers  and  adherents 
is  many  times  larger.  At  Jaro  an  industrial 
school  is  established  and  a  training  school  for 
native  evangelists.  Associated  with  Mr.  Briggs 
is  Rev.  Eric  Lund,  who  came  from  Spain.  He 
has  done  very  valuable  work  in  the  translation  of 
the  Visayan  New  Testament.  These,  with  the 
other  faithful  men  and  women  of  the  mission 
staff,  are  cultivating  this  one  Visayan  field  of 
more  than  a  million  people  accessible  on  the 
islands  of  Panay  and  Negros. 

Other  Religious  Bodies.  —  The  beginning  of 
missionary  work  has  been  attempted  by  the 
United  Brethren,  the  Disciples,  and  the  Con- 
gregationalists.  The  Congregationalists  have 
selected  the  Island  of  Mindanao  as  their  field,  de- 
voting   attention    chiefly  to   the    pagan  tribes. 

The  Bible  Societies.  —  The  American  Bible 
Society  sent  its  agent  to  Manila  in  April,  1902, 
to  examine  and  report.    The  following  year  they 


THE  PHILIPPINES  265 

settled  a  representative  in  Manila,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Goodrich.  The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety already  had  its  agent  in  the  field.  The 
two  societies  have  cooperated  for  four  years  to 
furnish  the  Bible  in  such  translations  as  might 
be  needed.  The  British  Society  devoted  itself 
to  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into  Visayan,  and 
by  1902  had  on  the  market  the  New  Testament, 
selling  twenty-seven  thousand.  They  employed 
three  colporteurs  and  two  Bible  women  to 
read  the  Scriptures  from  house  to  house.  To 
the  political  prisoners  discharged  in  1901,  one 
thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty  copies  of 
the  Scriptures  were  given  and  thus  scattered  in 
all  parts  of  the  island.  In  1902  the  circulation 
reached  sixty-four  thousand  four  hundred  copies. 
The  Aglipay  movement,  since  it  indorses  the 
reading  of  the  Scriptures  by  the  laity,  has 
made  a  very  large  demand  for  the  Tagalog 
Bible. 

The  translation  of  the  American  Bible  Society 
was  expended  upon  "the  most  virile  language 
of  North  Luzon,  —  the  Ilokano,  —  spoken  by 
more  than  a  million  people."  Translation  of  the 
gospel  was  also  made  into  Pampangan.  The 
sales  of  the  American  Bible  Society  increased 
from  a  few  thousand  in  1900  to  fifty-two  thousand 
in  1901,  and  ninety-one  thousand  in  1902. 
Everywhere  the  fearless  colporteurs  of  these 
two  great  societies  go,  breaking  the  way  for 
the  truth  by  the  sale  of  Bibles.  The  eagerness 
of  the  people  to  buy  the  Bibles  is  one  of  the 
remarkable  features  of  the  situation. 


266  CHBISTUS  REDEMPTOR 

The  Chinese  in  the  Philippines.  —  For  cen- 
turies the  Chinese  have  been  attracted  to  the 
fertile  land  that  lies  only  three  days'  sail  off  the 
coast.  They  have  traded  with  the  Filipinos, 
settled  in  the  islands,  and  intermarried  with  the 
native  race.  During  the  Spanish  occupation 
the  Chinese  were  alternately  feared  and  perse- 
cuted. They  were  taxed,  fined,  deported,  yet 
contrived  to  thrive  somehow,  and  to  buy  the 
consideration  and  justice  that  often  they  could 
obtain  in  no  other  way.  The  Chinese  have 
taught  the  Filipinos  the  art  of  agriculture  and 
stimulated  them  by  their  competition  to  some 
sort  of  industrial  efficiency.  They  have  never 
dared  to  live  far  from  the  centres  of  population 
and  here  they  have  been  subjected  to  frequent 
massacres.  In  Manila  business  circles  the 
most  substantial  business  houses  are  owned  by 
Chinese.  Several  merchants  are  said  to  be  mill- 
ionnaires.  At  least  half  of  the  Chinese  population 
in  the  islands  are  professedly  Christians.  This 
is  purely  a  business  transaction  in  most  cases, 
and  implies  no  real  religious  connection.  They 
were  the  spoil  of  the  Friars  for  fees  at  baptism, 
marriage,  and  death,  but  their  losses  they  took 
philosophically  as  part  of  the  investment.  The 
Chinese  community  stood  by  the  attempt  to 
defeat  the  opium  monopoly  legislation.  The 
Chinese  Chamber  of  Commerce  engaged  a  lawyer 
and  set  about  it  to  defeat  the  bill.  Their  peti- 
tion was  signed  by  seven  thousand  in  Manila 
alone.  The  Chinese  half-bloods  are  among  the 
best  stock  in  the  islands.    The  Church  of  Christ 


THE  PHILIPPINES  267 

has  an  opportunity  through  this  Chinese  com- 
munity to  powerfully  affect  the  evangelization  of 
the  mainland. 

The  Opportunity  in  the  Philippines.  —  Never 
was  a  more  glorious  opportunity  offered  to  a 
nation  than  that  now  open  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States  in  the  Philippines.  Here  are 
millions  of  people  eager  for  education,  thrilling 
with  half-formed  and  immature,  but  beautiful 
aspirations  toward  nationality,  dissatisfied  with 
the  narrowness  and  torpor  of  their  past,  not 
yet  ready  to  cope  with  the  problems  of  their 
future.  The  present  is  to  them  like  the  period 
of  adolescence  —  ardent,  aspiring,  with  the  boy's 
will  which  is  the  wind's  will,  but  open  to  in- 
fluences of  good  as  never  again.  It  is  for  those 
who  love  justice  and  believe  in  brotherhood  to 
see  to  it  that  America  does  not  falter  in  her  high 
mission.  It  must  be  the  Philippines  for  the 
Filipinos,  not  the  Philippines  for  the  Americans. 
To  bring  to  them  the  gift  of  free  institutions,  of 
a  great  unifying  language  that  shall  make  their 
dream  of  nationality  possible,  of  an  open  Bible 
and  an  ennobling  faith,  these  are  the  high 
privileges  into  which  we  may  enter  if  we  will. 

In  the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  as  in  the  whole 
wide  world,  all  needs  may  be  reduced  to  the 
one  great  need  that  includes  all  need  and  lack 
whatsoever :  that  they  may  know  the  only  true 
God  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  He  sent  to  be  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  To  supply  this  need  is 
the  glorious  privilege  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 


268  CHBISTUS  BEDEMPTOR 


QUESTIONS  AND  TOPICS 

1.  What  do  you  consider  the  greatest  service 
rendered  the  Philippines  by  Spain  ? 

2.  What  the  most  serious  defects  in  her  policy  ? 

3.  Compare  the  social  and  political  advancement 
of  the  Filipinos  with  that  of  other  Malay  peoples. 

4.  Make  a  study  of  the  public  school  system  as 
applied  to  the  Filipino  peoples,  —  its  most  serious  prob- 
lems, possible  dangers,  most  obvious  needs. 

5.  Trace  the  history  of  the  Chinese  in  the  Philip- 
pines; their  value  to  the  country;  the  cause  of  the 
Filipino  prejudice  against  them;  their  present  con- 
dition. 

6.  What  policy  should  our  country  adopt  toward 
the  Chinese  in  the  Philippines  ? 

7.  Study  comparatively  the  Chinese  in  America, 
Hawaii,  the  Philippines. 

8.  Write  a  paper  from  the  standpoint  of  an  honest 
and  ardent  Friar  recounting  the  benefits  brought  to 
the  Philippines  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

9.  The  story  of  the  opium  traffic  in  the  Philip- 
pines, its  regulation,  the  example  of  Japan  in  Formosa. 

10.  If  fifty  thousand  dollars  yearly  were  to  be  ap- 
propriated for  missionary  work  in  the  Philippines, 
where  could  it  be  expended  to  the  best  advantage? 
In  what  sort  of  work  ?    Why  ? 


THE  PHILIPPINES 


269 


STATISTICS 

POPULATION 

Philippines 

(round 

numbers) 

7,630,000 

of  whom 

6,980,000  are  civilized. 

Luzon 

3,198,000 

of  whom 

3,074,000  are  civilized, 

Panay 

740,000 

of  whom 

726,000  are  civilized. 

Cebu 

590,000  all  civilized, 

Mindanao 

500,000 

of  whom  about 

250,000  are  civilized. 

Negros 

460,000 

of  whom 

439,000  are  civilized. 

Leyte 

358,000  all  civilized. 

Bohol 

243,000  all  civilized. 

Samar 

222,000 

of  whom 

221,320  are  civilized. 

LARGE   CITIES 

Manilla, 

population 

219,000 

Lipa 

37,000 

Batanhas 

33,000 

Iloilo 

19,000 

Cebu 

30,000 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 


GENERAL  REFERENCE  BOOKS 

Newcombe.  Encyclopedia  of  Missions:  Verbose,  but 
valuable  for  side  lights  on  early  missions.  Scribner, 
1854. 

Encyclopedia  of  Missions.  New  Edition.  Valuable. 
Funk  &  Wagnalls. 

Waeneck.  History  of  Protestant  Missions.  Seventh 
Edition  in  translation.  Eighth  Edition  not  yet 
translated.  Particularly  good  on  Dutch  mis- 
sions.    Re  veil,  1901. 

Dennis.  Christian  Missions  and  Social  Progress. 
Revell. 

Statesman's  Year  Book,  1905.    Macmillan. 

Dwight.  Blue  Book  of  Missions.  Funk  &  Wagnalls, 
1905. 

Beach  (Harlan  P.).  Geography  and  Atlas  of  Prot- 
estant Missions.  Student  Volunteer  Publishing 
Company,  N.Y. 

Ecumenical  Missionary  Conference  Report.  2  volumes. 
American  Tract  Society. 

Stock  (Eugene).  History  of  Church  Missionary 
Society.    3  volumes.     London. 

Lovett  (Richard).  History  of  London  Missionary 
Society.     Oxford  Press. 

History  of  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions.  In  preparation.  Congrega- 
tional Publishing  House. 

Horne  (C.  Silvester).  The  Story  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  New  Edition.  One  volume, 
illustrated.     Very  good.     London,  1904. 

Alexander    (J.    M.).     Islands   of   the    Pacific.    One 

Volume,  illustrated.    American  Tract  Society. 

270 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  271 

Banks  (Martha).  Heroes  of  the  South  Sea.  American 
Tract  Society. 

Ellis  (William).  Polynesian  Researches.  Early  au- 
thority.    Harper,  1833. 

Francis  (B.).  The  Isles  of  the  Pacific.  Small,  fully 
illustrated,  largely  geographical.     Cassell  and  Co. 

Cousins  (George).  From  Island  to  Island.  Illus- 
trated.    London  Missionary  Society. 

Gill  (W.  W.).  Jottings  from  the  Pacific.  Religious 
Tract  Society,  London. 

Gill  (W.  W.).  From  Darkness  to  Light  in  Polynesia. 
London,  Religious  Tract  Society,  1894. 

Cooper  (H.  S.).  Coral  Lands.  Two  volumes.  Fine 
on  the  commercial  development.  London,  Bentley  & 
Co.,  1880. 

Erskine  (T.  E.).  Islands  of  the  Western  Pacific. 
Book  of  travels,  delightful  old  engravings.  London, 
John  Murray,  1853. 

Stoddard  (C.  W.).  South  Sea  Idylls.  Exquisite 
descriptions  of  scenery. 

Grey  (Sir  George).  Polynesian  Mythology.  Most 
interesting.     Auckland,  H.  Brett,  1885. 

Thomson  (Basil).    South  Sea  Yarns.    Blackwood  & 
Sons,  1894. 
Stories  of  Native  customs  and  the  tradition  in  regard 

to  Savage,  the  shipwrecked  Swede.     In  Boston  Public 

Library.  ■ 

Helmolt.  History  of  the  World.  Vol.11.  Doddand 
Mead,  1904. 

Pierson  (D.  T.)  Editor.  The  Pacific  Islanders.  Il- 
lustrated articles  from  Missionary  Review  of  the 
World.    Excellent.    Funk  &  Wagnalls. 

THE   SOCIETY   AND    HERVEY   ISLANDS 

Banks    (Martha    B.).    Heroes    of    the    South    Seas. 

American  Tract  Society,  1896. 
Alexander.     Islands  of  the  Pacific.    American  Tract 

Society. 
Gill  (W.  W.).    Jottings  from  the  Pacific.    London, 

Religious  Tract  Society. 


272  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Horne.     Story  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 
Hagen  (Karl).     Uber  die  Musik  einiger  Naturvolker 
(Australier,   Melanesier,    Polyenesier).     Schlotke, 
Hamburg,  Germany,  1892. 
Contains  native  songs,  words  and  music,  with  Ger- 
man translation.     Cannibal  song,  wedding  music,  dance, 
dirge,   etc.    In  Boston  Public  Library.    Covers   entire 
field. 

Williams    (John).     Narrative   of   Missionary   Enter- 
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Ellis  (James  T.).     Life  of  John  Williams.     Inexpen- 
sive, valuable.     London,  Partridge  &  Co. 
Wilson    (William).     A    Missionary    Voyage    to    the 
Southern  Pacific  Ocean.     London,  1799. 
Account  of  the  voyage  of  the  Duff  to  Society  Islands, 
by  one  of  the  officers.     Quaint  print,  chart  of  the  course 
of  the  Duff,  journals,  old  steel  engravings.     A  treasure 
mine  of  interest  for  the  first  lesson. 
Gill   (W.  W.).    Myths  and  Songs  from  the  South 
Pacific. 

SAMOA 

Stair  (J.  B.).    Old  Samoa.     London,  1897. 
Stevenson  (Robert  Louis).    A  Footnote  to  History. 

London,  1892. 
Stevenson  (R.  L.).     Vailima  Letters.     London,  1895. 
Horne.     Story  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 
Banks.     Heroes  of  the  South  Seas. 
Alexander.     Islands  of  the  Pacific. 
Turner  (Rev.  George).     Nineteen  Years  in  Polynesia. 

London,  Snow,  1861. 
An  authority  on  Samoa,  founder  of  Training  School 
at  Malua. 

MAGAZINE     ARTICLES 

Poetry  of  the  Polynesians,  Overland,  March,  April, 

1903. 
Samoan  Arbitration,  Outlook,  Nov.  1,  1902. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  273 

Malietoa  on  Samoan  Partition,  Independent,  Jan.  18, 

1900. 
In  Samoa  with  Stevenson.    Century,  March,  1902. 

MICRONESIA 

Crosby.    With  South  Sea  Folk. 

Story  of  the  "  Morning  Stars, "  American  Board,  15  cts. 

Alexander.    Islands  of  the  Pacific. 

Banks.     Heroes  of  the  South  Seas. 

Christian  (F.  W.).     The  Caroline  Islands.     Scribners. 

Jewett  (F.  G.).  Life  of  Luther  Halsey  Gulick.  Con- 
gregational Sunday  School  and  Publishing  Society. 

Crosby  (Mrs.  E.  Theodora).  The  Caroline  Islands  and 
Their  People.     1899. 

HAWAII 

Blackman  (W.  F.).  Making  of  Hawaii:  Study  in 
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Company. 

Anderson  (Rufus).  The  Hawaiian  Islands.  Boston, 
Gould  and  Lincoln,  1864. 

Stewart.  Sandwich  Islands.  Boston,  Weeks,  Jor- 
dan, &  Company,  1839. 

Bingham.    Sandwich  Islands,  1848. 

Cheever.  Life  in  the  Sandwich  Islands.  New  York, 
A.  S.  Barnes,  1851. 

Bishop  (Isabella  Bird).  Six  Months  in  Sandwich 
Islands.     Fine  descriptive  matter.    Putnam. 

Young  (Lucien).  The  Real  Hawaii.  Doubleday  & 
McClure. 

Musick.  Hawaii,  Our  New  Possession.  Funk  & 
Wagnalls. 

Dibble.  History  of  Sandwich  Islands.  Press  of 
Mission  Seminary,  1843. 

Haole.  Sandwich  Island  Notes.  Descriptive.  New 
York,   1854. 

Bingham.    Twenty  Years  in  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

Fornander.  Account  of  Polynesian  Race.  An  au- 
thority. 


274  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Brain  (Belle).    Transformation  of  Hawaii.    Revell. 
Thrums.    Hawaiian    Almanac    and    Annual.    Hono- 
lulu, 1875-1899. 
Annual  Reports  of  Hawaiian  Historical  Society  Papers : 

Emerson    (T.    S.).        Lesser    Hawaiian     Gods. 

Dole   (S.  B.).      Evolution    of    Hawaiian    Land 

Tenure. 
Stevens  (T.  L.)  and  Oleson  (W.  B.).    Picturesque 

Hawaii.     Philadelphia,  1894. 
Life  of  Hiram  Bingham. 
Talbot.       Life    of     Samuel     Chapman     Armstrong. 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Co.,  1904. 
Alexander.    Islands  of  the  Pacific. 
Co  an  (Lydia  B.).    Titus  Coan,  A  Memorial.    Revell, 

1884. 
Lyman  (Henry).     Hawaiian  Yesterdays.    McClurg. 

MAGAZINE    ARTICLES 

Hawaii   and   the   Philippines,  Chautauquan,  38,  341, 

Dec.  1903. 
American  Mastery  of  the  Pacific,  World's  Work,  Aug. 

1905. 
The  Mission  of  Hawaii,  Missionary  Review  of  World, 

Nov.  1900. 
Native  Hawaiian  Race,  Outlook  76,  987,  April  23, 1904. 
Native  Race,  Titus  Coan  in  American  Academy,  July, 

1901. 
Titus  Coan,  Missionary  Review  of  World,  July,  1903. 
Hawaii  and  the  Philippines  (111.),  Chautauquan,  Dec. 

1903. 
Hawaiian  Islands  and  their  People,  Missionary  Review, 

Sept.  1901. 
Paradise  of  the  Pacific,  Ladies'  Home  Journal,  April, 

1901. 
Christmas  in  Hawaii,  Overland,  N.S.,  Dec.  1902. 
Women  of  Hawaii,  Chautauquan,  July,  1904. 
Causes  of  Decrease  in  Hawaiian  Population,  American 

Journal  of  Sociology,  Nov.  1902. 
Hawaiian  Public  Lands,  Independent,  Jan.  25,  1905. 
Leper  Settlements,  Harper's  Weekly,  Aug.  18,  1900. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  275 

FIJI  AND  THE  NEW  HEBRIDES 

Vernon  (R.).    James  Calvert.    Re  veil. 

Rowe  (George  S.).     John  Hunt.     London,  Woolmer. 

Page  (Jesse).     John  Coleridge    Patteson.     Re  veil. 

These  three  biographies  are  small,  inexpensive  hand- 
books —  very  good. 
Robertson  (H.  A.).    The  Martyr  Isle  of  Erromanga. 

New  York,  Armstrong  &  Son. 
Gordon-Cummings  (Miss).   At  Home  in  Fiji.   London, 

1882. 
Waterhouse.     Fiji :  Its  King  and  People. 
Autobiography  of  John  G.  Paton.     Revell. 
Paton  (Mrs.  John  G.) .     Letters  and  Sketches  from  the 

New  Hebrides. 
Yonge  (Miss) .    Life  of  Bishop  Patteson.   Two  volumes. 

London. 
Armstrong  (E.  S.).  The  Melanesian  Missions.  Dutton, 

1900. 

MAGAZINE    ARTICLES 

Fiji  and  Fijians,  Scientific  American,  June  28,  1902. 

Fiji  Festival,  Century,  67,  518. 

Fijians  of  the  Past,  Current  Literature,  Feb.  1901,  Dec. 

1901. 
New  Hebrides  Christians,   Missionary   Review,   Feb. 

1901. 
Cannibalism   in   New  Hebrides,   Missionary   Review, 

Jan.  1901. 

NEW  GUINEA  AND  NEW  ZEALAND 

Lovett.    James  Chalmers:    His  Autobiography  and 

Letters.     Revell,  1903. 
Lovett.    Tamate:    Life   of    Chalmers.     Abbreviated 

for  young  people.     Revell. 
MacFarlane     (S.    M.).     Among    Cannibals    of    New 

Guinea.      Philadelphia.     Presbyterian    Board  of 

Publication. 
Page  (Jesse).    Among  the  Maoris.    Revell. 


276  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Banks.    Heroes  of  the  South  Seas. 
Alexander.    Islands  of  the  Pacific. 
Grey    (Sir  George).    Polynesian   Mythology.    Auck- 
land. 
Bracken.    Lays  of  the  Land  of  the  Maori  and  the  Moa. 

THE  PHILIPPINES 

Condict  (A.  B.).    Old  Glory  and  the  Gospel  in  the 

Philippines.    Revell,  1902. 
Stuntz  (H.  C).    The  Philippines  and  the  Far  East. 

Eaton  and  Mains,  1904. 
Willis    (H.    P.).    Our   Philippine   Problem.    Henry 

Holt  &  Co.,  1905. 
Le  Roy  (J.  A.).    Philippine  Life  in  Town  and  Country. 

Putnam,  1905. 
Brown.    New  Era  in  the  Philippines.      Revell,  1901. 
Foreman  (John).    The  Philippine  Islands.    Scribners, 

1899. 
Atkinson.    The    Philippine    Islands.    Ginn    &    Co., 

1905. 
Eandor   (Henry  Savage).    Gems    of  the  Far  East. 

Harpers,  1904. 

MAGAZINE     ARTICLES 

Child  Life  in  Philippines,   New  England  Magazine, 

N.S.,  31,  159. 
Christmas  in  Philippines,  Overland,  N.S.,  40,  516. 
Filipino  Songs,  Dial,  Oct.  16,  1904. 
People   of   the    Philippines,    Independent,    54,    1019. 

Missionary  Review,  July,  1902. 
Philippine  Islands,  1493-1898,  Independent,  57,  1090. 
Filipino  Characteristics,  Outlook,  Aug.  3,  1901. 

Missionary  Review,  July,  1902. 


INDEX 


Adams,  John,  86. 
Adventists  in  Pitcaim  Island, 

89. 
Aetas  or  Negritos,   219. 
Aglipay  movement,   247-250. 
Aitutaki,  47,  48. 
Alexander,  J.  M.,  54. 
Alexander's    "  Islands   of    the 

Pacific,"  79. 
Amboina  Mission,  206. 
American  Board,   75,   133. 
Aneityum,  155,  158-160. 
Animism,   202. 
Aniwa,    155,    164,    169-170. 
AnnexationofNewGuinea,192. 
Apia,  62. 

Areas  in  the  Philippines,  215. 
Armstrong,      Rev.      Richard, 

125,  129. 
Armstrong,  General  S.  C,  125. 
Astral  Islands,  34-37. 
Atolls,  3,  37,  79. 
Auckland,  newspaper  clipping, 

54,  91 ;  training  school,  173. 
Auura,  first  convert  in  Astral 

Islands,  35. 

Bali,  203,  204. 

Balolo,  feast  of,  152-154. 

Banyan  tree,  14. 

Baptist  Missions,  262-264. 

Barrios    in    the    Philippines, 

229,  230. 
Beginning,  The,  mission  boat, 

49. 
Betuve,   story  of,   33-34. 
Bible  Society,  American,  264. 
Bible  Society,  British,  264. 
Bible  in  Philippines,  252,  254. 
Bikol,  226. 


Bingham,  Hiram,  108,  128. 
Bingham,  Hiram,  Jr.,  78,  130. 
Birds,  .23. 

Bismarck,  Count,  63. 
Blackman,  Professor,  book  on 

Hawaii,  95,  116,  117. 
Bligh,  Lieutenant,  84. 
Boniface  and  the  sacred  oak, 

115. 
Borabora,  church  at,  35. 
Borneo,  203. 
Botanical  Notes,  14-24. 
Bounty,  mutiny  of,  84. 
Brahminism,  204. 
Breadfruit  tree,   15-16. 
Brent,  Rev.  C.  A.,  Bishop  in 

the  Philippines,  261. 
Briggs,  Rev.  C.  W.,  263. 
Brown,  Arthur  J.,  New  Era  in 

Philippines,   258. 
Buddhism,  204. 
Bullard,  Major,  road  building 

of,  223,  224. 

Caan,  Madame  H.  I.  de  la 
Bassecour,  201. 

Caciquism,  229. 

Calvert,  Rev.  James,  144-149. 

Canadian  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sions,   158,    163. 

Candle  nut  tree,  19. 

Cannibalism,  40,  48,  139. 

Cargill,  Rev.  David,  143. 

Carolines,  area,  2;  archipel- 
ago, 72;  race,  5. 

Cebu,  258. 

Celebes,  202,  209. 

Chalmers,  Rev.  James,  187- 
200. 

Chestnut  tree,  19. 


277 


278 


INDEX 


Chinese     intermarriage     with 

Hawaiians,  100,  134, 135. 
Chinese    in    Philippines,    227, 

266-269. 
Church  of  England,  126,  200. 
Cleveland,  Grover,  123. 
Climate,  Philippines,  216. 
Clothing,  native  races,  193. 
Coan,  Titus,  127. 
Cocoanut  tree,  22. 
Congregational    Missions,    75, 

126-133. 
Constitution   in   Hawaii,    121. 
Contributions  of  native  church, 

36,  47,  55,  66,  133,  151,  161, 

184. 
Cook,    Captain,    91,    96,    99, 

102-104. 
Coral  Islands,  3,  72,  73. 
Coral  polyp,  3. 
Cordillera,  226. 
Cortez,  Spanish,  232. 
Coupon,  Dutch  settlement  at, 

84. 
Cross,  Rev.  William,  143. 

Dattos,     among     the    Moros, 

223-225,   228. 
Dewey,    Admiral,   victory    at 

Manila,   238. 
Dillons  Bay,  Memorial  Church, 

162. 
Dole,    Sanford    B.,    President 

Hawaiian  Republic,   123. 
Duff,  mission  ship,   26. 
Dutch  missions,  201-213. 
Dutch   East   India   Company, 

204,   206. 

Easter  Island,  stone  carvings, 

6. 
Education  in  Hawaii,  124-126 ; 

in  the  Philippines,  240-245. 
Efate',  155. 

Eimeo,   boat  building,  45. 
Elijah  at  Carmel,  115. 
Endeavor,  the,  boat,  49. 
English  interests  in  Samoa,  63. 
Epi,  155. 
Erromanga,  155,  161-164. 


Erromangan  Christians,  161- 
162. 

Ethnologists,  American,  218 ; 
German,  218. 

Evangelical  French  Mission- 
ary Society,  32. 

Evangelical  Union  in  Phil- 
ippines,  257. 

Family,   punaluan,  99. 

Fanea,   Samoan  chief,  58. 

Ferguson,  Captain  W.  H.,  10. 

Fetichism,  202. 

Feudal  tenure  in  Hawaii,  94. 

Fiji,  3,  138-155;  ceded  to 
Great    Britain,   149. 

Fijian  answer  to  infidel,   152. 

Fijian  missions  to  other  isl- 
ands,   150. 

Fijians,   5,   100,   138-140. 

Filipino  race,  218,  225-228, 
229-250. 

Finau,  Tongan  chief,  71. 

Finley,  Captain,  government 
of  Moros,  223. 

Fly  River,  195-197. 

France,  31. 

French  Missions,  37. 

Friars,   abuses  of,   232-238. 

Friendly  Islands,  69. 

Geddie,   Rev.  John,   158-161. 
George,  king  of  Tonga,  70-71, 

142. 
George,     king     in      Caroline 

Islands,  75. 
Germany  in  Samoan  Islands, 

62-66;    in    Micronesia,    78, 

81,  82. 
Gilbert  Islands,  5,  72,  73,  75, 

77,   100;  offered  to  United 

States,  78. 
Gill,  W.  Wyatt,  14,  54. 
Gordon,  Rev.  George,  martyr, 

162. 
Gordon,  Rev.  James,  martyr, 

162. 
Guam,  82-83. 
Guinea,  New,  5. 
Gulick,  Peter,  129. 


INDEX 


279 


Gulick,  John  T.,  130,  137. 
Gulick,  Luther,  75,  130. 

Hacienda,  227. 

Halmaheira,  209-210. 

Harrison,  President  B.  F., 
78,   123. 

Hawaii,  91-137. 

Hawaiian  Foreign  Mission  So- 
ciety,  130-133. 

Haweis,  Rev.  Thomas,  29. 

Hebrides,  New,  3,  5,  155-170. 

Hervey  Islands,  44-55,  57; 
depopulation  of,  48. 

Hilo,  Industrial  Boarding 
School,    125 

Hilo,  parish,  127. 

Hinduism,  203. 

Honolulu,  92,  125,  127. 

Hulppredikers,  207. 

Hunt,  Rev.  John,  142, 143, 154. 

Hurricane  in  Samoa,  63. 

Hutchins,  John,  70. 

Ibanaz,  226. 

Ide,    Judge,    Chief    Justice, 
Samoa,  65. 

Igorrotes,  220-221,  251. 

Ilokans,  226. 

Infanticide,   101,   139. 

Inglis,   Rev.   John,    160. 

Insurrections  in  the  Philip- 
pines, 238. 

Intoxicants,  11-12. 

Islam,  among  the  Moros,  221- 
222. 

Island  World,  its  importance, 
1 ;  its  vastness,  its  divi- 
sions, 2 ;  its  formations,  3 ; 
its  climate,  4;  its  inhabit- 
ants, 4;  first  contact  with 
whites,  8. 

Japanese  in  Hawaii,  134;  in 
the    Philippines,  227. 

Jaro,  261. 

Java,  203,  209;  Hindu  in- 
fluence in,  203 ;  large 
number  of  Christians,   210. 

Juan,  Padre,  work  of,  263. 


Kaahumanu,  109,  110,  112. 

Kalakaua,  122. 

Kalauwao,  92. 

Kamehameha  I.,  106-109. 

Kamehameha  III.,  75. 

Kanaka  labor  evils,  9—11, 
192. 

Kane,  Hawaiian  god,  95. 

Kapiolani,  story  of,   112-115. 

Kauai,  92. 

Kekela,  Hawaiian  native  mis- 
sionary, 132,  133. 

Keopuolani,   109,  112. 

Korean  labor  in  Hawaii,  134. 

Ku,  Hawaiian  god,  95. 

Kusaie,  75. 

Labor,  traffic  in,  9-11. 

Ladrones,  72. 

Lakemba,  142,  143. 

Land  commission,  Samoa,  64. 

Laupepa,  Samoan  chief,  62. 

Lawes,  Rev.  W.  G.,  187. 

Lee,     Chief     Justice     W.     L. 

Hawaii,   121. 
Lemon  hibiscus  tree,  20. 
Leyte,  215. 
Liholiho,  109. 
Liliuokalani,  123. 
Logan,  Rev.   Robert,  74,  80. 
London    Missionary    Society, 

25,  36,  74,  187,  210. 
Lono,  Hawaiian  god,  96. 
Loyalty  Islands,  3. 
Lunalilo,  Hawaiian  king,  122. 
Lutheran  Missions,  127. 
Luzon,  215. 
Lyman,  Rev.  David  B.,  125. 

MacFarlane,  Rev.  S.,  187. 
Madura,  203- 
Magellan,   232. 

Makea,   King,   names  of  chil- 
dren, 51 ;  visit  to  Samoa,  59. 
Malacca,  200. 
Malaysia,  2,  201. 
Malay,  219,  221,  230. 
Malay  Archipelago,   219. 
Malekula,  155. 
Malietoa,  58,  62,  63. 


280 


INDEX 


Malua,  school,  61. 
Mangaia,  Island,  48,  55. 
Manila,  81,  215,  238,  247. 
Mann,  Horace,  125. 
Manua,   57,   59. 
Maori    missionaries    to    pagan 

islands,  183. 
Maoris,  177-182. 
Marsden,  Rev.  Samuel,  179. 
Marshall  Islands,   73,  76,   79. 
Martyrdom   of   Bishop  Patte- 

son,  172-174. 
Massachusetts,  comp.  area,  91. 
Mat  tree,  18. 
Maui,  island,  92. 
Mauna  Loa,  93. 
Mayon,  Mt.,  215. 
Mbau,  143,  147,  150. 
McKinley,   President,   on   the 

Philippines,  239. 
Measles,  9,  166. 
Melanesia,  25. 

Melanesian   Mission,    171-175. 
Melanesians,   156. 
Messenger  of  Peace,  52-53,  57, 

58. 
Mestizos  in  Philippines,    227, 

266. 
Metcalf,   Captain,   outrage    in 

Hawaii,  104. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Missions, 

126,  142-154,  253-256. 
Mexico,  231. 

Micronesia,  2,  3,  72-79,  81. 
Micronesians,  5-8,  73—74. 
Mindanao,  215,   224. 
Mindoro,  215. 

Missions   in   relation   to   com- 
merce,  12-13. 
Mohammedans,  203. 
Molokai,   92. 
Moluccas,   205. 
Monserrat,    10. 
Moorea,  native  convert,  39. 
Moresby,  Port,   187,   194. 
Morning  Star,  74,  78,  80. 
Moro  Exchange,  223-224. 
Moro  fanaticism,  222. 
Moros,  221-226,  251. 
Mortlock  Islands,  73,  80. 


Namakei,  sermon  of,  170. 
Nantucket  whaler,   87. 
Native  proverbs  and  sayings, 

42-45. 
Na  Viti-Levu,  138,  146. 
Negritos,  218-219. 
New  Guinea,   184-199. 
New   Hebrides   Mission,    155— 

171. 
New  Zealand,  2,  94,  177-184; 

development  of,  183. 
New  Zealand  Land  Company, 

181-182. 
Noli  me  Tangere,  237. 
Norfolk  Island,  88-89. 
Numerals,  Polynesian,  24. 

Obookiah,  story  of,    107-108. 

Oceania,  extent,  1. 

Ono,  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity in,  141. 

Opportunity  in   Hawaii,    136. 

Opportunity  in  Philippines, 
267. 

Otaheite,  25. 

Pacific,  commercial  centre  of 

future,  1. 
Pago  Pago  harbor,  57. 
Palawan,  215. 
Palm  tree,  22. 
Pampangans,  226. 
Panay,  215,  262. 
Pangasimans,  226. 
Papau  apple,  17. 
Papeiha,  native  teacher,  50-52. 
Papuans,  5,  73,  184-185,  200. 
Paragua,  215. 

Paton,  John  G.,  9,  164-171. 
Patteson,      John      Coleridge, 

171-174. 
Pearl   harbor,   92. 
Pearl  Islands,  37-39. 
Philippines,  215-269. 
Physiological  changes  due    to 

missions,  68—69. 
Pitcairn  Island,  6,  84-89. 
Political  wrongs,  12. 
Polynesia,  2. 
Polynesians,  4-8. 


INDEX 


281 


Pomare  I.,  28. 

Pomare  II.,  and  reformation, 
30,  31,  45. 

Ponape,  76,   77. 

Population  of  Philippines, 
215. 

Porionuu,  27. 

Portuguese  in  Hawaii,  134. 

Portuguese  in  Philippines, 
227. 

Prayer  of  men  of  Tanna,  168. 

Presbyterian  Missions,  158- 
171,  257-259. 

Protestantism  in  the  Phil- 
ippines, 249-285. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Missions, 
126,   200,  259-262. 

Proverbs,  native,  42-44. 

Pua  tree,  18. 

Puaaiki,  early  Hawaiian  con- 
vert, 111. 

Pueblo,   229. 

Questions,  56,  90,  137,  176, 
214,  267. 

Race  decay,  99-101. 
Race  problem  in  Hawaii,  134. 
Racial    conflict,   Hawaii,    121. 
Raiatea,  45,  46,  47,  49,  51. 
Raratonga,  48,  49,  50,  51,  59, 

178,  195. 
Raratongan  curse,  40. 
Raratongan    teachers,    57-58. 
Record,  John,  121. 
Reforms  in  Hawaii,   116—121. 
Resources  of  Philippines,  216. 
Rewa,   river,   138. 
Richards,  Rev.  Wm,  118,  129. 
Rizal,  Jose,  236-237. 
Robertson,     Rev.     Hugh     A., 

author  of   "Martyr    Isle   of 

Erromanga,"  161;    work  in 

Erromanga,    163. 
Rodgers,  Rev.  J.  B.,  256. 
Ruatoka,  199. 
Ruk,  80. 
Rurutu,  idols  of,  35;    church 

building,    37;    embassy   to, 

46. 


Sabbath-keeping  in  Fiji,  152- 
154. 

Sambal,  226. 

Samoan  Islands,  57-69,  94, 
100,  138,  178. 

Samoan  missionaries  to  other 
islands,  66,  160,  164,  187. 

Sandalwood  trade,  157. 

Savaii,  57,  59,  66. 

Screw  pine  tree,  17. 

Scudder,  Doremus,  quotation 
from,   135. 

Selwyn,  Bishop,  159,  170- 
171,  174. 

Silliman  Institute,  259. 

Society  Islands,  25-34,  35,  45, 
46,  49,  51. 

Society  Islanders  as  mission- 
aries, 198. 

Solomon  Islands,  3. 

South  Sea   Idyls,   13. 

Spanish-American    War,  238. 

Spanish   navigators,   2. 

Spanish  outrages  in  Micro- 
nesia, 78-80,  81,  82. 

Spiritism,  201. 

Stanley,  Henry  M.,  quotation 
from,    136. 

Stevenson,  Robert  Louis,  57, 
67,  68,  196. 

Sting  ray,  23. 

Stoddard,  C.  W.  (quotation), 
13. 

Suggestions,  56,  90. 

Sulu,  215,  216. 

Sumatra,  201,  211. 

Superstitions,  97,    141. 

Swordfish,  23. 

Tabu,  96,  97. 

Taft,    W.    H.,    240-241,    249, 

250. 
Tagalogs,  226. 
Tahiti,  26,  27,  29,  31,  34,  84, 

100,  108. 
Tairubu,   27. 
Tamatao,  King,  49. 
Tanna,  155,  163-168. 
Tapa,  36. 
Taraaere's  story,  40-41. 


282 


INDEX 


Taufaahau,  Tongan  king,  70- 
72. 

Taviuni,  142. 

Thaddeus,  the   brig,  108,    111. 

Thakombau,   146-148. 

Thatch  tree,  17-18. 

Thoburn,  Bishop,  254. 

Thomas,  John,  Wesleyan  mis- 
sionary, 70. 

Thurston,   Asa,    108. 

Tobacco  and  missions,  192. 

Tonga,  3,  69-72,  137. 

Tongabatu,  70. 

Tongan  natives,  70,   100. 

Topics,  90,  136,  175,  267. 

Tovo,  story  of  conversion,  144. 

Turner,   Nathaniel,   70. 

Tutuila,  Samoan  Island,  57, 
59. 

United  States,  possessions  in 

Samoa,  66. 
Upolu,  57,  60. 
Utu  tree,  20. 

Vancouver  visits  Hawaii,  105- 

106,  111. 
Vanua  Levu,  138. 
Vauvau  group  of  islands,  69. 
Venereal  disease,   101. 


Viability   of   Hawaiians,    101. 
Vi  apple,  22. 
Visayans,  226,  227. 
Viwa,  mission  station  in  Fiji, 
145. 

Weber,  Herr,   German  trader 

in  Samoa,  62. 
Weiss,    Wesleyan  missionary, 

70. 
Wesleyan    Missions,    70,    72, 

142. 
West  Indies,  17. 
Wetmore,  Dr.  C.  H.,  79. 
Whitmee,  Rev.  S.  T.,  estimate 

of  native  Christians,  41. 
Wilkes,  Rev.  Matthew,  29. 
Wilkes,    Commodore,    tribute 

of,  39,   110. 
Williams,  John,  45-55,  58,  59, 

157,  163. 
Wilson,  Captain,  romantic  ca- 
reer, 25-26. 
Woman,  position  of,  99. 
Wood,  General  Leonard,  222. 
Worcester,   Dean  C,   240. 
Wright,  Luke,  240. 

Zamora,  Paulino,  254. 
Zamora,  Nicholas,  254-255. 


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